The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-05-15
On short notice. at reasonable ratess'
ant store! You cannot secure it Ia,

ant store! You cannot secure it tai
soon, and then you know while you arJ
waiting and watching the growinf
crops the railroad companies mai
change their minds if they think yotl
mean business. waiting to see hoN
the crops will yield" will. fear, result
in the old game, heads win, tails you
loose" If the crops are good your
warm interests in the railroad conn
.'anieS may induce you TO think that2
the farmers can afford to pay present
rates. which would enable the railroad
companies to add to their surplus, etc.
I Ii the crops are poor, why OF courS8
/ they cannot afford to reduce their rate1]
when there is likely to be falling OIL
| IN freight. Then as to incOmin&5
! freights. You think there should be IA
reduction. You are certain you CAM
secure 1t. You estimate saving Of $8]
on groceries, etc. IT you add farm3
implements, lumber and twine, YOU
could, no doubt. raise that cstimatG3
several times. Are YOU aware that thG3
! bulk Of such necessities will be neede63
before fall? Ifnot. hope you will for
get your modest blush long enough toa
investigate, realize and push for REL
duction at once. You cannot do 1t tC9H
soon for your reputation and our pOck55
cts. There is another subject to whiCA
| would like to call your attentions, vix:|
The rate on wheat to Chicago, to which,
or q CORE spending point, we are cons
PEELED to pay freight. or all shipments
of wheat. Take for instance the rate
from Watertown to Chicago is 80 cents
That was the rate when transit sold f0t|
Il cents and was protected at that by5
the railroad companies interestedy.
Transit has lately fallen rs low a. ii
cents. We used to figure the freight t0
Minneapolis at IS cents, thence to CHI
cago at l5 cents. Now we must figur6a
from Minneapolis to Chicago 8 centm|
and from Watertown to Minneapolis 218
cents, or q discrimination against Da-S
kota Of cents per cwt. / understand
the railroad commissioners OF Minue-s
sofa secured fiat rate to Minneapolis
or made it optional with shippers t0s
ship in transit, and then When rates
were reduced from Minneapolis to CHI:
cago, induced the railroad companies to-
plorate from interior points to Chicago
Result: just across the line in Minno~
! sofa wheat is worth cents per cyvt.$H
more than i'm Dakota The MinnesOt0l
railroad commissioners seem to think
that it is their duty to look after tho
interests Of shippers. They are livin4|
for the present generation. They d.
not wait and watch the growing crOps.s
/ They do not proceed IN Il modest sort
Of way" They mean business. "and
get there" Please 10 not let your pre-
cious modesty prevent Your pushing
these matters inst little now. IlAaY2
you are not too modest to draw Your
salary while waiting and watching. By
the way. don't YOU think that the farm
ers of Dakota will soon think you ara
quite too modest for the position Of
railroad commissioners? / have No.
doubt that the railroad managers just
| dote Oh railroad commissioners who
proceed in q modest sort OF way" ~
/ is Il virtue SO rare in their ranks that =
am sure they consider it a Jewel OF the
first water Yours truly.
III, H. LoUcRs, President.
Dakota Farmers Alliance.