The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-08-29
FILcHlNG THE FARMERS.
Tho Railroad and Elevator Steal Of
Grain That Is Called Shrinkage.


| Grain That Is Called Shrinkage.
The farmer is the victim of many
mems wiles, and he submits with a de-
gree of patience that would be eminently
commendable were it not that his sub
mission to extortions, robbery and
every available form of craft and trick
cry is wrong to his wife and children
in that it contributes to the piling on of
the amount of his mortgage and other
Indebtedness. Now and then chafing
under his burden, he threatens vengeance
upon his adversary, but changes his
mind before he comes up with him.
I'm no one thing, yes, in no dozen
things, is the farmer so outrageously
wronged as in the single matter of get
ting his grain to market" said one who
is in position to know whereof he speaks
II tell you there is no industry so loosely
conducted as the immense grain bust
ness OF the west; but, stumbling as it is.
it is carefully seen to that all is done to
the profit OF the railroads and grain ele-
vators, and to the damage of the dealer,
and consequently to the farmer; for
the dealer is very careful to see to it that
all the gouging done him by the rail-
roads and elevators is placed in his ex-
pense account, and the bill charged up to
the farmers in the way of light weights,
low grading or in some manner or other.
"a big kick was raised in this state.
and laws were passed which suppose
were designed to be efectual to the end
designed. But the railroads have sue
ceeded in rendering them imperative, SO
that they are dead letters upon the stat
ute books. There ought to be an appeal
direct and straight to that highest Of all
tribunals, the people, who when they
rise in their might can make pompous
and pampered legislators even tremble.
The press is the only effectual means of
reaching them Efforts have been ex-
hausted upon congress, upon state legis-
lators and upon prosecuting officials.
They have been urged, pleaded with and
piteously besought in vain to redress
these great wrongs. They make no
reply.
"lt would seem that they are abiect
SAeSVN' OSAOAO Cl-tlU OC4CSSd1 UyICuuU, UuO
railroad, which, like the Car of Jugger-
naut, remorselessly brushes all who get
in its way. These law making and law
enforcing folks have been threatened
with the popular wrath. Perhaps they
think railroad influence can protect them
in this, as railroad influence has assisted
SO many Of them into their places. If
the facts were but brought in their I'M
adorned monstrousness before the popu-
lar tribunal it would cause them to elect
public servants who would have the
courage to do right though power a
thousandfold mightier than the rail-
roads opposed.
''This elevator business is not proper
ly understood. There has been much
published concerning it's extortions, but
the articles have been deficient in plain
facts. In the first place take the matter
OF the receipt given the shipper The
Illinois law says that an actual receipt
shall be given the shipper in all cases
for grain shipped. This law is never OBJ
served The so called receipt in every
case reads more Or less,' and this more
or less clause paves the way for the ills
which follow. It is almost invariably
less, rarely the same and never more
that the shipper gets.
81 state specifically that no bills of
lading are issued that are in compliance
with existing laws, but every one of
them contains clauses that invalidate
their value by rendering ambiguous the
extent Of the common carriers liability
Every one of them leaves it optional
with the carriers to deliver at destina-
ton any amount of property they may
see fit. This of course enables them to
resist upon technical grounds the pay
ment of claims for shortages. Of course
this is an all around opportunity for
constituencies knaves, and they avail
themselves Of it to their own sweet
pleasure. There ought not to be any
shortages. In fact there are no shrink
ages. Yet the evidence is indisputable
that certain railroads here handling
large amounts of grain make deliveries
to certain eastern elevators, and they
very frequently, if not always, report it
short from five to one hundred bushels
per carload from the initial weights,
which are known to be correct.
But why do speak of railroads here?
Ny accusation applies as we'll to grain
shipped from every other primary
market. What I say has had indorse-
ment for truth from a president of the
Chicago board of trade and from a
chairman of the weighing committee Of
that body.
But this steal-for what else can it
be called?-does not end with single
elevator. Oftentimes it is made by each
elevator through which the grain passes.
do you ask who owns these elevators?
Well, those at Toledo, Buffalo, New
York and some other points are owned
by the railroads. Of course in many in
stances the railroads deny that they own
Or control them Init in most of tbaea