St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-19
GRIPsACk LIARS.
This Class of Peripateties Redeiye
Their Reward

One interes ting showing made by the
! publication 5 tae system Of deceit and
/ misrepres5n at "a practiced by the eie-
F2tor cOnpabie on the farmers through
their travelling men. 1t IS claimed that
salaries are pal to head men OF s., 900,
$4,000 and $1,000 per year; that the
travelling agents receive $1,000 and SO,
600, and that the expense of the COM
| blnatlOn Is enormous in every respect.
Talks To give the farmers is said to
be stereotyped circular which the COM
I bInatlOn issues TO its travelling men.
I This circular Ilstructs the travelling
men what sort Of story they must tell
when the farmer offers objections TO
trust methods. 1t directs them to tell
the farmer that there is no money in
the elevator business, and that the ele-
vatoF companies would just as soon 20
out of the business as not: that they are
| paying for wheat every cent tkey can
afford 10 paw and are not making any
living profit. and particularly the trav-
! eling agent dWellS IN the fact that the
| elevator companies are grading wheat
higher, docking lower, and generally
giving the farmer better show than
/ the terminal elevators in their turn are
giving the elevator companies. The
idea is TO make it appear that the farm
ers are we'll treated. and that the ele-
vator companies are losing money, and
! the strongest possible eEdeavor is made
to keep the farmer from organizing and
starting opposition 10 the combine ele-
vatorS.
/ In Il letter written to one of these
( travelling agents the general manager
of the trust SAID he inci0Sed a cheek for
! $1,000 as token Of appreciation Of the
/ agents faithful service and his expe-
ditious manner OF quieting all differ
ences in the country. The agent was
! told in this letter that he was a lin
dandy" and that the combine was get
J ing I'D another secret organization. and
wished TO try to secure his services in
/ the bloody work" He was asked if
$4,000 year and expenses for himself
and family. including -'all his dizzy girls
Ia Minneapolis and on the road, leaving
/ out only 81. Paul. would be any in
/ dueement 10 him. He was told that he
might perhaps make mere at something
! else for that year, but the combine
would double his pay next year if it
! did not drop all its chips on Chicago
wheat. Numerous instances where in
dependent mills and independent farm
ers' elevators were established, and
where they were intimidated INFO paying
the same price for wheat that the trust
paid, are given in the book. The con-
/ tract made with MIR. Wolcott by
/ the Minneapolis & Northern Ele-
| vator company is said 10 be
merely sample Of contracts
made with Independent BUYERS when
! they are bought off. This contract pro-
/ yided, among other things, that Wolcott
1 shouid-not engage in the wheat buying
/ business, or in handling wheat in any
! way, or be interested in the same di-
rectly or Indirectly, by himself OF by
any other person or persons al any
point Or place where the Minneapolis &
/ NOrthern<tleyator company might own
or operate elevators during the FIVE
! years OF the contract. In the suit pend
ing IN ST. Paul the elevator company
/ mas answered, admitting the making OF
/ the contract