Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-01-29
THE wASHBURNE BILL.

bill, ostensibly drawn to prevent option
dealing, and his friend and partner, 9.
A. Pillsbury, now endorses the bill-as
it is to be.
The whole farce played by Mr.. Pills.
bury in first denouncing the bill and
then supporting it, is laughable enough
to those who know the gentleman and
his cunning tactics; but it deceives
many who are unaware of the real fact,
which is that G. A. Pillsbury is really
the author of the bill which is intended
to put power into the hands of the Eng.
lish syndicate which Messrs. Pillsbury
and Washburne represent.
Mr.. Pillsbury says that Minneapolis
and Duluth will become the great mark
cts of the world if the Washburne bill
becomes a law. In a measure this is
true. The law prevents the selling of
wheat to others than the parties to whom
it is to be delivered, and is cunningly
worded to make it appear that the mum.
Der of sellers is to be restricted, whereas
a little thought will convince an exami-
ner that it is the number of buyers that
is to be cut down. In plain language,
the millers and exporters are to be "the
people" and other buyers are to be re-
tired from competition with them.
The Pillsbury- Washburne milling
company Qimited) has in fact uncovered
the first move in a bold scheme which is
to make them masters of the situation
in the northwest. The senator who in
PRODUCES the bill has but lately retired
from the wheat gambling business him
self and his chief, Mr.. Pillsbury, is
known as the boldest and most extensive
operator in the northwest. Nobody be-
lieves that these gentlemen have sud-
denly turned reformers for the benefit
of the grain growers; that Is, nobody
that Is posted. But they propose to
take advantage of the just antagonism
to wheat gambling and, by making a
loud ontcry that their legislation is to
cure the evil, get support from the agri-
cultural classes. They rely upon the
non-examinaticn Of the matter by the
persons most interested. They have
themselves interviewed and say that
they are only DESTROYS of suppressing
wheat gambling, and that they have no
other object in view. This bait they
homo to bovo o,uo11oro1
Why this great syndicate of English
millers-buyers of wheat-should want
to make prices of wheat higher they
hope that nobody will stop to inquire.
That the interests of the grain growers
are exactly opposed to the interests of
the English syndicate whom Senator
Washburn represents, they trust that
nobody will discover; or if they do dis
cover it, they hope that nobody will be
impolite enough to mention it.
OF all the class legislation which has
been proposed in this age of crankism
the bill Of the English senator is most
outrageous. It has been cunningly
wrought out, and will perhaps become a
law because Of the very credul1ty of the
western representatives who pretend at
least to believe that the great gamblers
in grain who are backing the bill desire
to suppress grain gambling. If it does
pass and become a law, it will be an
other evidence of the ease with which
the people are blinded by the catch
words Of demagogues appealing to popu-
lar prejudices and relying upon those
prejudices to prevent examination of
legislation supposed to be for their bene-
fit. And the great milling firm and the
members thereof will accumulate many
millions before correction can be made
after the plot is discovered.
The following article in relation to
this subject appears in the Fargo Fo-
rum:
The grain men are unanimously against
it, the bankers have passed resolutions Sc.
verely condemning it, and wherever the
farmers alliance leaders have been heard
from the bill is condemned in unmeasured
terms.
The bill is unquestiOnably against the
producers; but there is a danger that they
will only look at the declaration of the
miller senator and his few friends and bus.
mess associates who advocate its passage
that it is a blow at gambling in wheat and
that they will neglect to examine it tal
enough to see that in its practical opera
tions, il it has any practical side, it bene
fits the manufacturer and exporter and
leaves the producer and all other classes a.
their mercy.
The interest of the producer is para
mount in this section. This country car
only be prosperous when the masses o.
its citizens who produce are prosperous
The palace of Senator Washburn, occupy
ing an entire block in the heart of the city
surrounded by lawns and fountains ant
possessing Conservatives filled with costly
plants and flowers, does not indicate the
prosperity Of the country, though
it Is doubtless gratifying to the honor
able gentleman. Naturally enough
he is looking for ways and mean.
to maintain the eonrmous expense of thi
magnificent mansion. His salary asa sen
ator is but a bagatelle compared with thu
sum necessary to maintain his princely
establishment. The English syndicate
with whom he is associated and whom h,
represents undoubtedly make up the def
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