The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-04-15
age of appropriate legislation tending

the greater efficiency of the present
grain and warehouse law. It's sugges-
tions in this regard are made as follows:
!. All railroad companies of and do
ing business in this state should be re-
quired to construct and maintain track
scales at all of their respective stations
In the state from which there were
shipped during any preceding year at
least sixty car loads of grain; and as a
recompense to the said companies for
providing such service and for doing
and performing whatever else NAV he
found necessary and incidental thereto.
reasonable charge should be allowed
them. The committee believe that il
would be no less than justice to such
producing and shipping interests to
require by law that common calri-
to be held responsible and accountable
for the full amount of grain received
by them on board their cars, which
should in all Instances be evidenced be-
fore the cars leave their respective sta
tions by appropriate receipts; and in
consideration of such responsibility and
accountability and for loss by shrinkage
and transportation, or other cause, the
said companies should be allowed to tax
or assess one-half Of per cent. of the
amount received.
2. Public warehouses should be re-
quired by law to assertion at least once
during each crop year the amount of
wheat in their bins and the amount of
outstanding warehouse receipts. which
should be done under the direction of
the railroad and warehouse commission
at such time as the commission NAV
deem practicable, and the results
thereof should be made matter of pub.
lie record. Public warehousemen de.
string to Withdraw their license should
be required to correctly ascertain the
actual amount of grain on hand in their
warehouses. and the amount of out
standing warehouse receipts and other
obligations under the supervision and
direction of the railroad and warehouse
commission, before such withdrawal is
granted, and similar ascertainment of
the condition of private warehouses
should be required before license to
do business as public warehousemeD is
granted to such private warehouses as
desire to operate under license.
8. In view of the great Importance
of tie subject and the vast inter-
ests involved, the committee without
committing itself to any policy of legis-
lation, earnestly recommend thaG the
next Legislature consider the adVisa-
bility of passing law providing
contiguous to deep water, at
public expense, warehouses sufficiently
large to afford storage without mixing
the grain of differnt grades, for grain
produced in this state, and for which
service the state shall receive or may
impose a moderate charae.
q. Furthermore, the committee would
recommend that the next legisls-
ture. either by memorial to congress
or otherwise, take some steps to
counterfeit the evil influence of wheat
gambling at Chicago and other great
grain centers.
5. In view of the fact that the operat-
ors at Chicago are enabled to exalt or
depress prices at pleasure, they have be-
come constant menace to the greatest
interest of the northwest. Their in
fiuence in this respect is demonstrated
by the remarkable fact that in the face
of an unprecedented shortage in the old
world, Ghey have been able to hold wheat
at abnormally low prices, and from
which circumstance the farmers of this
state have suffered an appalling loss.
The influence of that market is at all
times so great and uncertain that no
1, II
single day. 1t may no doubt be accept
ed as a fact that for some time past
the ruling price of wheat has neither
been determined by visible supply nor
the estimated amount of grain in the
country, but rather upon the quantity
which which wheat gamblers have felt
disposed at any moment to precipitate
upon the market. This being true, there
is no basis in reason upon which care
full and prudent business man may pur-
chase wheat for future delivery, or for
the purpose Of legitimate trade, So
long as this condition of affairs con-
tinues, Minnesotas great staple crop
will depend less in bringing wealth to
her people upon the legitimate demands
of consumption than upon the whims
and caprices of grain gamblers in Chica-
go. This is a combination which beg
gars all others by far in it's pernicious
effect upon the public. We therefore
recommend that the subject receive the
earliest and most serious consideration
of the next legislature.
6. The committee would recommend,
ii practicable, that public elevators be
required to construct scales and weigh
grain upon the ground floor before the
grain is elevated, so that the unloading
of cars may be under the supervision of
state weighers.
The committee would also recon-
mend that under no circumstances
should grain or screenings be permitted
to be shipped out of public warehouses
without weighing and inspection.
GEORGE GEIssEL, Chairman.
JOHN DAY SMITH,
p. E. BARRETT,
ANDREW FRENCH,
e., SEVATSON.