St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-05

and complex cooperation of interests, cap
llal and corporations, which work in har-
mony to control the hard wheats of the
United States is. think, the opinion of many
persons of fair intelligence.
That this combination not only seeks to
control the distribution and destination of
inns wheat but also attempts to establish the
price at which the producer shall part with
i IS, l think. also evident to many persons
fairly well informed
This combination, if il exists at all. is
of it,
Chicago intent upon maintaining that city
as lhe chief grain market of the West, cannot
but be an important factor in this conspiracy
against the freedom of markets i'll Minnesota
The great railways extending from the
wheat fields OF the Northwest to Chicago, as
well as those from Chicago eastward, are
Interested in Forcing
at least portion of this wheat over their
lines of road in order that thereby their rev
enues may be increased.
The very existence Of the vast milling bus
mess centered at Minneapolis depends upon
its ability 10 gather up thirty or forty mill
ions of bushels of wheat yearly to keep the
mills in operation.
All these great combinations of capital
have common interest in making the
markets OF the Northwest subordinate TO the
Chicago market.
The effect of this is TO make the price of
wheat in Northern Minnesota the price at
Chicago, less the price of hauling it to Chi
cago.
Were the corn growers of Southern Illinois
forced by capitalistic combinations, depend
ent for
Their Existence
upon the law-making power of Illinois, to
ship their corn TO Eastern markets by the
way of Duluth. their case would be similar 10
the Northern Minnesota wheat growers.
nj or l,faY
that all the wheat exported from Minnesota
seeks the Eastern market via Chicago: but |
DO say that the price of wheat in Mime
sofa Is as a rule, based on the Chicago price,
less the cost of sending it TO Chicago: and
whether II goes there or not, the effect upon
the producer is the same as if it were all
transported to that city.
The market at Duluth, although practically
rs near New ork by lake and rail as Chi
cago, Is kept many cents per buShel below
The Chicago market, so that the wheat which
does go 10 Duluth is compelled to accept
price so much lower than Chicago that the
Producer Gains Little
or nothing by shipping to that port. To prove
my statements refer TO the market reports
IN the daily papers for the last five years.
An examination of the market reports of
Duluth, Chicago and New York will show
that The Duluth It's nearly always much
below the Chicago market the difference
beng all the way from or 3 to IA cents per
Dushel: at times i'll the summer months
when the wheat has nearly all left the pro-
dueers' hands, the margin between Duluth
and Chicago touches its lowest ebb
The price of No ! Northern wheat May
i quoted in the st Paul GLOBE at 51.07I2 to
~ 09i2 per bushel at Duluth.
he price of the same wheat at New York
on the same day is quoted at Sl.27l2@11.2S. a
adherence of from is cents TO 20l2 cents be-
tween Duluth and New York At Chicago
No. 2 He'd Is Quoted
on the same day at S107A0LOS14. and at
New York at Sl.167s@119, a difference of
from Sss TO 9s4 cents between Chicago and
New York. showing that on MAY l. 1891, the
market at Duluth. was 9s4 to 1o8S cents per
bushel below Chicago, and this with the lake
open.
The outlet to the world through Mime
sofa 5 great lake port is thus practically
closed to Minnesota wheat producers, or
opened only at price which would pay for
lis going via Chicago
The means by which this conspiracy
against the Minnesota farmers and against
me entire state is made to succeed is through
me great elevator corporations. These cor
porauons are the instruments by which the
possession of the hard wheat is gained. and
through which it is distributed.
hrough them, acting as reservoirs, the
flow OF wheat to the market is very largely
regulated
If it is desired to Clover the price, they
nave only 10 increase their shipments from
llle
Country Elevators;
II The intention is to raise the price, they may
decrease their shipments from the country
elevators
Through their agents the Infamous price
hst Is sent out-by their cooperation the
market ;1i,l Is very largely controlled.
ms investigation will not in my oDinion
be complete If il shall stop short of ascertain
ing whether or not those who control the
pupnc elevators III the cities, or any persons
interested IN them are also ieterested or
1,. pa5t owners OF corporations owning and con
IRONING the country elevators; and whether
or not those who own or control the public
elevators nave any understanding with each
other. or with airy other persons or cor
pQratlon IN the state or out of the state, the
SIiect OF which Is TO produce what is euuiya-
lent 10 poor or trust, and if such
Pool or Trust
Is found to exist whether the Same is lawful
or unlawful; and whether or not such trust
mas a secretary. and what are his duties as
wei as all the details Of the trusts organiza-
III names of the individuals interested, di-
rectly or indirectly, in such pool or trust
should also be ascertained and what effect
the trust has upon the markets of the state.
inquiry should also be made as to whether
or not the railway corporation of the state
ahd the merchant millers hereinbefore re-
1erIed to as having interests tending to de-
press the Duluth market have any interest
directly or indirectly in keeping up this trnst
of any trust exists
In short, the condition of the markets of
thls state demands full investigation of all
ITS public elevators with all their associa-
lions
Combinations and Connections
with any persons or corporations engaged in
Wheat buying, wheat storing or wheat trans
porting.
It must be evident that such pool. if it
exists. Is OF tar greater import to the wheat
producers OF the state. and to the people of
the state at large than any mere abstraction
OF wheat from the Duluth public elevators.
Wnetner the same has been lawfully or un-
lawfully accomplished.
he most important fact developed in the
recent lnVestlSation is, not that 60000 or $50
OO0 bushels of-wheat. more or less. has been
taken from the public elevator without state
inspection. but that a single organization or
@ co1l pally own or control all the public ele-
Nators ,,a @ IN Minnesota on Lake Superior; and
Inc further fact that the superintendent of
mat company has, over
His Own Signature.
as part of his reply to the house committee.
0ellDerately made the following statement:
That the wheat in question, which. it was
claimed was shipped by the Lake Superior
Elevator company and the Union Improve
Ment ana Elevator company, was shipped
from said elevators to place out of and be-
Nond the jurisdiction of the state of Mime
sofa, ana was interstate commerce and be-
Nond the control of the legislature of the
state OF Minnesota or the board of railway
ana warehouse commissioners That the
law under which said state undertakes the
supervision of the said elevators or fixes the
rate OF charges therein. is unconstitutional
and void. That the inquiry is relative 10 the
private business of said corporations of
which l am superintendent and have no
Tlght to disclose their private business
mat feIuse 10 produce the private books
OF account of said corporation, because