St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-26

opinions, and If any man says they have,
he is a-gentleman laboring under a
misapprehension of the facts. The
grain law has been in vogue
but a short time-snce the first of last
September. virtually since the 10Th of that
month. Caution should be used in proceed
ing TO amend it. The railroad commissioners
are the servants of the farmers, and trust to
their wisdom and inspiration for guidance.
The commissioners are going from station to
station throughout the state, meeting in per-
son the people interested, and they hope by
next September or October TO be able to give
an opinion. But the grain law, however de-
fective, should rot be aOrOgated. 1t may be
farmers should not relax the grip which they
have gotten upon
THE GRAIN TRADE OF THE STATE.
The speaker said that there were two mem
bers of the board who were heart and soul
with the farmers, and that they wouli do all
in their power to secure justice for them at
the hands of the railroads. When he touched
upon the matter of discriminating
against certain points by the rail-
roads in making tariff rates, there
was loud applause by his listeners.
One of the buyers in the southern part of the
state had put iuIo the hands of his sub
ordinate buyers samples Of all the wheat
grades as established by the commission. The
result has already been better grades. If any
producer in Southern Minnesota will make a
s0fpmenJ 10 mlDnSapOlS or DuluLu lnSIGdU
of Chicago, and the railroad either refuses or
charges eXtortionate rates, report the matter
TO the commission and we Will compel the
road to come to time. We want to divert the
grain Of Southern Minnesota to the markets
of this state, which we claim are better mar
ketS than those of Chicago.
In answer to question, Gen. Baker said
that only one road-the Milwaukee-has OPP
posed the law with regard to placing fiat
warehouses along its line. We have told
within reasonable time, accede TO the re-
quirements of the law, we will bring suit
against them. The last conference was only
yesterday, and we told the representatives of
the road that the discussion was now at an
end.
''It has been charged" said q member Of
the alliance, that the elevators of Minneap-
oils have remained unlicensed. not because Of
a defect IN the law, but because the commits
sionerS have not enforced the law How is
il, Mr.. Commissioner
Commissioner Murdock arose to answer the
inquiry. There was an element in the situa-
tion at Minneapolis, he said, which we did
not appreciate last winter. Even Mr.. Pills
bury, who was in the legislature, did not ap-
preciate it. The elevator men at Minneapo-
lis all came to us and expected to take out Ii
cenSeS. In talking IL over it came out that
the wheat is put into the bins for the mills
regardless of grade. One half the grain that
comes here goes direct to the mills. AS we
have construed the law, if the wheat of the
different owners is kept separate the ware
houses need not become public warehouses;
The warehouses here ''chose the lesser eviI''
and now keep the grain of different owners
separate But all but a small fraction of the
grain received in Minneapolis has been in
spected and weighed by the state. This situ-
alton calls for an amendment to the law per-
initting the millerS to rent bins in public
houses and mix the grades, for the purposes
OF manufacturing.
at has been reported" said Fl. Z. Hodg-
son. 'that certain large shippers on the North
ern Pacific have found it profitable TO ship TO
Minneapolis, although Duluth was their
natural market"
AT the outset" Commissioners Murdoch
said, lit was hard to get the inspectors at
different points TO hold the same grades. For
the first six weeks, it is true, the grades at
Duluth were more strict than here Now,
however, they are almost exactly alike.
Mr. Murdock went on TO say. in answer 10
anotner inquiry, that the commission had
changed Its mind on the matter of farmers
cleaning their grain before marketing it,
Iney now believed it impracticable for Min
nesota farmers TO clean their own grain.
in Minnesota" continued Mr.. Murdock,
I'VE have the most di2icut problem 10 be
found in any state. In Massachusetts all
roads lead to Boston; in New York TO New
York city; in Illinois to Chicago; the people
are agreed where the traffic shall 90. But our
roads were all built in the interest of Chicago.
They are interstate roads"
H. P. Bjeorge Of Otter Tail county made
stirring address on railroad profits He did