Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1891-08-20
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
General Discussion Of the Wheat
Marketing Question in the
North Dakota Press.
The Problems of Grading, Trans
pOrtation, and Loading, Arous.
ing the Farmers.

How the Refusal to Furnish
Platforms Strikes the Aver.
age Grain Grower.
The Press Pulpit.
Towner County Record: A petition
was sent sometime ago, signed by large
number Of our best farmers, to the Great
Northern railroad company, asking them
to erect platform at this place for the
accommodation of the farmers who would
wish to load and ship their own grain,
and not be compelled to use the elevators
as it is we'll known fact that farmer
can save from two 10 twenty cents a
bushel on his wheat by shipping it him
self, especially so if the wheat is an off
grade. As yet the Great Northern has
done nothing towards the erection of
platform here, and the farmers will be
compelled to either get along without
this accommodation or build one them
selves. When the railroad commission
ers were through here sometime ago they
promised to do all they could to have the
railroad company build the platform, but
it seems it is tine thing to be railroad
commissioner, and very easy for them to
make promises. OF course these same
gentlemen are working in the interest of
the farmers; were they cot elected by the
farmers, and just before election Is not
the farmer the bravest, truest, most hor-
est, god-like man on the face of the earth?
A few presents such as Pclangus bull
or pig or something else, and the CON-
missioners are ready to do all they can
for the interest of the poor farmer. But
who pays for those free rides, bulls, ETC.?
the farmers. This will continue as
long as the farmers cast their votes for
men that are IN sympathy with these
monopolies. Yes, they have the bulge,
next the elevator companies and SO on,
one concern playing into the others hand
taking rake off, sometimes two at every
hand. There is but one dealer, and he
is an expert, SO it does not take long to
skin the poor farmer, when he is told to
60 and raise another crop so they will
have another chance to skin him. The
actual cost OF platform for this place
would be much less than some dinners
the Mogul gives to his elected friends.
into any shape that he wishes. but the
are ignored entirely. Is it aot about
protect their own interests? Things
laws are made such mockery, and COR
porations allowed to do as they wish.
Rolla Star: It is estimated that there
will be all the way from two to three
hundred thousand bushels of wheat
marketed at this point, besides hundreds
Of bushels Of barley and oats, if the
bright prospects of today are realized.
There IL also some talk of erecting a
platform for the accommodation of those
who wish to handle their own grain,
which could be done with very little ex-
pense The railroad company will not
erect one. we are pretty we'll assured,
and If platform is built at all it will
necessarily have to be done by private
subscription. just why the railroad
company refuses to erect platforms at all
their stations along the line, when petit
toned. is not known. but the supposi-
ton is that the elevator and railroad com.
pany go "hand in hand" or "sail in the
same boat" BY all means let US provide
a way by which farmers may be enabled
to handle their own grain, if they should
be dissatisfied with the treatmen: re-
ceived at the hands OF the elevators, and
1t is the unbounded privilege that every
producer should enjoy. Last season, it
will be remembered, there was more or
less dissatisfaction as to prices, grades
and dockage received at the elevator,
and if platform is provided it will un-
donhtedly plevent all these mild" de-
nunciation of corporations and monopo-
lies.
Wahpeton Globe: Mr.. George Win
ters. secretary of the Millers association
of North Dakota, was here yesterday on
business. He said: "Your people will
stay with the warehouse commissioners
in their tussle with the elevator compa-
MES. The commissioners rules are rea-
sonable, and preserve to the farmer his
rights. Our farmers have been gulled
for years, and the state has failed because
OF its inefficient laws to protect them.
We now have the power, and should
assert it, Let them close their public
elevators. They can't run as private
concerns. Nothing but good will come
out of the fight. Things may be little
demoralized at first, but they will soon
straighten out. Why, the independent
buyers are already coming into the state
on every train. It won't be two weeks
until every commission honse in Mime
apolis and Duluth will have half dozen
agents trotting through the state looking
up shipments and making private pur-
chases. All the farmers want to do is to
keep posted on the markets. and stand
by the state in It's efforts to protect
them.
Church's Ferry Sun: A prominent
grain man remarked to us one day this
week that Minnesota buyers would not
take our wheat at North Dakota lnspec-
tlons. We would like to ask what right
has Minnesota to dictate to us what our
grades shall be, and again, what is the
matter with North Dakota establishing
a market at Fargo or Grand Forks for
North Dakota wheat and handling the
cereal to the hest possible advantage to
the producer? If Minneapolis mlllers