St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-11
WANT NO MORE GRADES
An All-Day's Session by the Commits
sioners and Many Grain
Dealers.
II Is the General Sentiment That Another
Grade of Wheat Would Not be
Desirable.
The Minneapolis Chamber OF Com
merce, However, Asks That II Be
Esta bliShed.
Interesting Opinions.

Interesting Opinions.
According to the state law the wheat
and other grain grades for Minnesota are to
be established prior to Sept. Is each year
by the board of railroad and warehouse
commissioners. A week or so ago the
commissioners sent out to farmers. millerS,
elevator men and those interested in grain
grades throughout the state. invitations to
meeting to be held at the capitol yester-
day. The object of the meeting was to
hear opinions and suggestions as to the adj
visibility of establishing a new wheat grade
between No. hard and No. 1 Northern,
the new grade to be known as No. 2 hard.
The attendance was not as large as was eX-
pected. but the representatives who were
present were, with one or two exceptions.
unanimous in their objection to the pro-
posed change. If the commissioners take
the sentiment of those present as voiclng
that of the farmers, buyers and elevator men
throughout the state there will be no
change in the grades for the coming year.
The meeting was called to order at IL
o'clock, there being in attendance:
c. II. Graves, president of the Elevator
company at Duluth; f. l.. Waters OF Man
kato, representing r. d. Hubbard Co.: F..
r. Sterritt and L. II. Perry, St. Paul; E: G.
Michner, W. F. Meader, w. Petit Of Mime
apoiis; Hon. c. Canning of Norman county;
Matthew Nochbar of Scott county. vice.
president of the Farmers alliance from the
Third district: H. E. Boon Of Fergus Falls,
corresponding secretary of the same organi-
cation; George Ripley, superintendent of the
Elevator company at Duluth; John Shelby,
chief grain inspector at the same point; ID.
w. Donaldson of Kittson county of the firm
of Kennedy, Donaldson u Ryan, bonanza
farmers; c. W. Tracy of the Minneapolis
Elevator company; a. j. Sawyer OF Duluth,
the largest grain buyer IN the Northwest;
Gen. Barrett of Grant county, representing
the farmers on the Hastings Dakota road;
Capt. John Diamond of Blue Earth county,
and Ole Olson of Martin county, members of
the executive committee of the Farmers
alliance, and G. w. Sprague of Fillmore
county, president of the same organization;
G. P Jacobs of ST. Paul; J. A. Atwood of
StearnS county.
FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS CHAMBER.
Commissioner Baker read a lengthy letter
addressed to the board by the Minneapolis
chamber of commerce, asking for the eS-
Enlistment of new grade between No. 1
hard and No. Northern. The reason given
for desiring the new grade was that by
reason of its location, Minneapolis received
wheat from two sections of the country
that produced entirely distinct and separate
varieties of the same grade. The No. 1
Northern. from the northern part of the
state was much harder than the same grade
from the southern part, and it varied in
value from 2 to 8 cents bushel in
tavOr of that from the northern part. BY
il, son of this the wheat could not be mixed
without reducing the grade and causing a
loss to the elevator men. The
new grade, it claimed. would preserve
the distinction between hard and soft varie-
ties. The Importance of Minneapolis as a
consumption market, and the fact that two
thirds of the grain marketed within the
state at terminal points was sold there, was
cited in the letter, and the board asked to
give it due weight in considering the ques-
ton. The letter closed by asking for the
appointment of three supervisors of in
Spection, whose duty it would be to inspect
grain where interested parties were not
satisfied with re-inspectiOn. This. it was
stated, would equally protect the buyers,
sellers, elevators and those using them.
Following this letter was read from the
Duluth board of trade against any change
in the present grades.
Commissioner Baker then announced that
the board was ready to hear any arguments
and receive any opinions, suggestions and
advice on the question under consideration.
MANY OPINIONS.
Matthew Nochbar and the people of his sec.
ton were satisfied with the present grades
and wanted no change.
G. Canning said seven grades were enough.
Minneapolis did not come under the state in
spection law and had not the right to come in
and ask for changes in grades. The pro-
posed change was another effort of the Min
neapolis men to skin the farmers again by
means of more grades. The difference in
price between No. l. hard and No. Northern
was only two cents a bushel, and he saw no
reason for putting in another grade. There
could be no very great mixing of the south
ern and northern wheat in Minneapolis as
only two of the eleven elevators there were
running under the inspection law.
w. Petit, representing one Of the two
elevators in Minneapolis working under
the law, wanted a change of grades
so that it would be possible to handle wheat
from the southern part of the state without
loss. Duluth did not get any of that kind,
and consequently did not know the trouble
oecasioned by mixing in a public elevator
the same grade Of wheat from the two Sec
tons.
f. L. Waters said the producers in his Sec
ton objected to any change in grades, and
were satisfied as they were now. He claimed
fit was graded properly it made no differ
ence where it was raised. The trouble was in
the grading.
Maj Donaldson said the commission low
cred the standard of No. l hard last winter,
which ought not to have been done. The
present grades were too much mixed. Wheat
shipped from Kansas and Nebraska brings
more than it ought to under the present
grades, and is q hardship to the elevators as
y ell as the producers, because it was not as
good as the wheat raised in Minnesota He
contended that the standard of No. hard
should never have been reduced below rs per
cent of hard Scotch Fife wheat and advocated
q grade above the present No. hard
Commissioner Murdoch denied that the
commissioners had lowered the standard of
No. 1 hard. The change made in August last
i'll the grading Of No. hard and No. North
ern by inserting mostly before the words
'T5 per cent. of hard Scotch Fife wheat" as
relating to No. hard, was done to prevent
technical disputes over the inspecting, and
was not intended to either raise or lower the
standard.
J. Canning thought the locality in which il
was raised should not influence the grade or
price of wheat.
THE DULUTH TRADE.
G. II. Graus said the Duluth trade desired
no change. If there was one it would make
considerable difficulty and trouble in adjust
grade of No. Northern down was a move in
the wrong direction. The grade had proved
successful and by establishing the proposed
grade great damage would be done.
Gen. Barrett admitted that he took
issue against the commissioners last year
and thought the grades were wrong, but the
experience of year had shown him con-
clusively that he was the one in the wrong.
The market quotations were 1873 for No. 1
hard and rs for No. l Northern He could
not see how grade could be sandwiched in
between them which would not do grievous
wrong to the producers, and advocated the
grades being left as they are. A ]. SAWYER
advised no change in grades las proposed. If
any changes were needed grades to be known
as No. and No. 2 regular, which would pro-
vide for the soft wheat from Kansas, Ne
5raska, Iowa and Southern Minnesota. would
i've advisable. Wheat which would weigh
Gtxty pounds to the bushel could not be
graded No. Northern. Gen. Barrett had an
idea that the Minneapolis men could fight
their way with the balance of the state. They