davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
DEMOCRATS OFFER RELIEF.
How Farmers Can Bring the Great
Combine to Time


Combine to Time.
The plank of the platform of the
Democratic convention of Minnesota
is quoted. 1t denounces 1.-The rapacious
and lawleSS combination which has
grown up i'll this state with the comfy
ance OF the Republican legislature be-
tween the elevator companies, the mills
and railroads, by which our grain mar
kets have been mOnOpoliZed and our
farmers robbed of the fruits of their
hard labors. We reaffirm our belief
that this combination rests upon the
fact that the railroads of this state have
dlsregarded one of their primary func-
tons, the provisions of suitable means
for handling grain, and have given the
same over TO the control of private per
sons, and we again declare our belief
that the remedy, simple but efficacious
lies in the legislature requiring the
roads to assume their proper function,
thus giving every station a free and
open market"
The book points out that the remedy
is with the farmers, merchants, labor
erS and all those who are affected by
the depressing influence of monopoly
and trust which controls a necessary of
life, and that they must vote for that
party which will pledge itself, and full
fill its pledge. to break up this combina-
ton by compelling the railroads to fur
nish facilities direct to the farmer for
shipping his wheat, without the inter-
vention of the elevator companies, to
whom, as the plank in the Democratic
platform says, is delegated this func-
ton. The book claims that so large are
the stealings of the combination that if
the farmer could get those Stealings in
far price paid for his grain he could
then build granaries. and store his
grain himself. Thus favored the wheat
would not go in the visible supply as it
now does through the elevators, and
hence every bushel of wheat held back
would enhance the price of every bushel
sold.
The book was presented to Don H.
Dickinson and Congressman Cable, with
evidence OF its commences, and they
were in consultation at the meeting of
the Western branch of the national
committee at the Palmer house during
its meeting in the latter part of August.
with w. Ii. Campbell. ex-chairman of
the Minnesota Democratic state central
committee, and Lewis Baker, editor of
the st. Paul GLOBE and present chair
man of that committee. Arrangements
We're made for its publication, and MI.
Campbell and Mr.. Baker returned to st.
Paul with o. N. Ball, member of CON
gress fo1- the Third district of Mime
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
LOUCKS' CHANGE.
The Farmers Alliance President's
Position at Least Suspicious.

Position at Least Suspicious.
The affidavit connecting President II.
l.. Loucks, of the Farmers Alliance of
the United States, with the sitting Of
competition by the wheat rlng, is made
by G. G. Wolcott. Wolcott and LouckS
were associated together in establishing
the Scandinavian Elevator company,
quently changed to the Farmers
Alliance Elevator company. While
LouckS transacted the business
of the company in Minneapolis
Wolcott went to Europe, and tried to in
tereSt foreign capital i'll the enterprise.
His failure 10 do so. he alleges, was due
to the efforts of Charles A. Pillsbury,
who followed him to Europe, and made
the English mlllerS believe that there
were no profits in the elevator business
in the Northwest. Mr.. PiliSbury is said
to have offered, as proof, to sell his
elevators for so cents on the dollar.
Wolcott's mission in England was I'M
successful, and he returned to Mime
apolis. where the facts as set forth in
his affidavit occurred. The affidavit
states that up to a certain day. when he
had an interview with c. A. Pills bury,
President Loucks had always taken the
position that the elevators paid, and
that there was in existence wheat
combine such as is described in the
book. After that interview, it is al
legged, he took an entirely opposite pO-
sition, and claimed, as did Pillsbury
and the rest of the members of the al
legged ring, that there was no money in
the elevator business; that the farmers
were treated well, and that they had no
cause to complain.
The interview between Loucks and
Pillsbury referred to is described by
Wolcott as follows: lie says that about
the last of July. 1889, he was called upon
at the West hotel, Minneapolis, by
Charles A. PillsDury. and that in gen
eral conversation Mr.. Pillsbury brought
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

western railroads is also very clearly
charged. 1t is shown that no regard
whatever is paid by the railroads to
distances, but that in many eases they
charge the same price for hauling
bushel of wheat from point within 200
miles of Minneapolis or Duluth that
they charge for carrying wheat from a
point 400 and 500 miles from those two
cities. So far as the railroads are COLI
cerned, the evidence is that they refuse
the farmers cars in which to ship their
wheat themselves. putting them Off
under one preteXt or another so that the
farmer is compelled, and has no other
choice, providing there are no indie
pendent buyers, to sell MS wheat to the
trust elevators, taking for such wheat
whatever price they are disposed to
give him.
The direct evidence as to the combi-
nation OF the elevator companies exist
ing at this time is that they are all
banded in what are called the North
western and Southwestern Elevator
associations. and that the general man.
ager. arbitrator, agent, or whatever else
he may De called Of these associations
is one Frank Il. Irons, with beadQuar-
tiers in the Corn Exchange building in
Minneapolis. 1t is charged that Irons
makes up every night what is known as
the list price and sends it as night
message to the agents of the elevator
companies at all country points; that
no regard whatever was paid in making
this list price TO the market quotations;
that Mr.. Pillsbury prohibits The sending
of market reports to his country agents,
in order that They maybe kept IN ignor-
ance of what the Minneapolis. Daluth,
Chicago and New York prices are. and
that the list Orlpf in Qtiipr words * he
mere arbitrary act of General Manager
Irons. and is sent by the agreement
which has heretofore been referred
| TO the elevator companies, who bind
themselves not to offer more than such
list price and not 10 make any offer FOR
wheat before it is brought up to the
elevators
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

railroad systems, through uniform ac-
tlon and with uniform rate; transact
business to common purpose and with
an understanding that they will not COM
pete the one against the other for the
trade. The distinct and different rail-
road systems each employ on their own
account travelling men, who move from
one line to another to establish bust
ness, solicit business, and get proper
share OF business in the vicinity of the
line. The testimony Oh this subject of
me railroad travelling agents sitting
competition is that each agent of the
different roads makes it his business to
see that the elevator companies on all
other roads do not pay more than the
list price for wheat. Thus by watching
each other they compel the elevators on
all roads to adopt the list price. The
testimony shows number of instances
where the railroad companies have di-
rectly lnterfered to enforce the list
price. 1t exhibits many marked in
stances of distinct attempts and
acts which would naturally follow
from the policy admitted to be the
policy of all the railroad systems of
Minnesota to prevent rate wars by the
adoption OF uniform prices throughout
the state. 1t is said that it will remain
mystery as to what compensation the
different railroad systems receive from
the great wheat combine in considera-
ton of the surrender by these respective
systems Of the entire fruits of c0mpeti-
ZION and the adoption of uniform prices
and weight rates. The moving cause of
this surrender of competition by the dis
tlnct railroad companies is alleged to lie
III the fact that the present rates re-
ceived by the railroad companies are so
remuneratiye in their character that it
IS financial policy on the part of each
road to surrender competition in vie "
OF the enhanced freight rates on the
traffic which it receives.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

! ION was given wide prominence in their
| state.
Powerful Campaign Document.
That we can carry the state vi Min
nesota with it l have no doubt what
ever" said eX-Chairman Campbell. en-
Enthusiastically. sit is the most effective
and tremendous campaign document
that has been or will be issued during
this fight, and it is all true, every word
OF 1t. l know myself that the facts are
IN no way Oyerdrawn. | have know, in
common with everybody else in Mime
sofa, that this gigantic wheat ring eX-
listed, but we could never get the proof
OF 1t until these letters turned up. In
1879 was member of the Minnesota
Legislature. and L discovered then that
the farmers were being robbed by the
brass Kettle, OF tester, the method of
doing which is fully explained in the
DOCK. started in to make a fight OH it,
and had bill introduced to abolish it.
There was the biggest sort of opposition
by the elevator men and the combine.
Their representatives called on me and
made the bluff that there was no way of
stealing wheat by the brass kettle
method. L had prepared for that and
mad learned the trick from an elevator
agent who practlced it, and when those
fellows declared that it could not be
done, took the brass kettle and a bag
of wheat onto the floor of the house and
showed them that it could be done. |
made four grades out of the same wheat
Just by the manipulation of the tester.
For five hours l held that legislature at
bay in the efforts of certain members to
tack an amendment OH the bill by which
1t could be killed. but they finally sue
ceeded Ill putting an amendment on
that Endorsed some fellows patent sys-
tenn for preventing the cheating by the
brass Kettle, and for that reason John
5: PlllSbury, then governor, vetoed the
bill, and the brass Kettle is still in use
and is still being used as ameans of rob-
berry. L also know that the statement
that the agents are directed by the ele-
vator companies to make an average or
steal-that is, to bring their elevators
out ahead-is true. l have been told so
by number of agents themselves. As
to the effect of the document, it must of
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
THE PRICE oF WHEAT.
A Fictitious Cost for Freight Add
ed to Each EuSheI

ed to Each EusheI.
On the subject of combine control
ling the price of wheat a strong point is
made in the book from the fact that the
alleged trust fixes the price of wheat in
Minneapolis and Duluth upon the fiction
that wheat bought in Chicago is shipped
to those two cities. The price in those
two cities is the price of wheat in Chi
cagO with the addition of this Fictitious
cost for freight between Chicago and
Minneapolis and Duluth. 1t is pointed
out that wheat bought in Chicago is
never delivered in Chicago, and that
therefore the price of wheat ought to be
in Minneapolis and Duluth what it is in
Chicago. less the cost of shipment from
those points. The following is quoted
from the publication:
Tins uniform acQuieScence in a fic-
ton not true, III fact, but uniformly ac-
cepted by all the dealers in Minnesota
and the Northwest, is the combine it
self. 1t is this agreement and surren-
der of the elevator men and dealers
that constitutes the very essence and
fact of the combine, for if wheat at Du-
luth. with equal freights to the sea-
board, should be of the same value as
like wheat at Chicago. then this agree
ment on the part of the dealers and
NASNoloi buC DIlCt dit
snail he the price at Chicago less freight
from Duluth to Chicago, arbitrarily and
OF necessity fixing price to be paid for
wheat just so much beneath its actual
value as the freight rate from Duluth
to Chicago shall be-IhiS is the COM
bine.
Ihls lnducement to base the market
at Minneapolis upon the market at Chi
cago oilers an inducement to all trans
portatlon lines from Minneapolis to
Chicago to most heartily cooperate
with the combine dealers and elevator
men to maintain that price, or, if it is
possible that the railroad and trans
portation lines fix the price, then till the
elevator men and dealers acquiesce in
the price fixed by the railroads.
Mr.. Moore in his minority report says
private and individual buyer in Min
neapolis on the same day or the next
day sells in the Chicago market the
wheat which he has just purchased in
minnesota; that this sale is in Dursu-
ance OF a combination, and was, so
proved by the testimony of Mr.. Pills
bury that wheat sold in Chicago was
never delivered in Chicago, but was ia
tact delivered i'll Duluth. "Wheat in
Duluth, says MIR. Moore, 'can reach
the seaboard for the same rate as wheat
III Chicago; therefore, wheat bought on
a price at Chicago, but delivered at
Duluth, never being delivered in Chi
Sago, is a contiscation from the pro-
Queer from whom such wheat is BUR
chased in Minnesota of the amount of
the freight from Minneapolis to Chi
cago. They may call it business. they
may call ii trade, they may call it finan-
clal prudence, or class it under any
name they denominate, but it remains
logically decrease in the value of all
wheat tributary to Duluth" M
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
STRIKING DISCREPANCIES.
Testimony Compared With Well
known Facts.

hnOWn Facts.
The examination of c. A. Pillsbury in
the legislative Investigating committee
in st. Paul in March, 1892, and in the
two houses of congress at substantially
the same time, occupied great deal of
the reports made by the legislative COM
mittee at st. Paul. and also much of the
congressional reports. The three books
which contain that examination have
been taken, and the widely contradict
DRY statements Of Mr.. PillSbury have all
been brought together and placed side
by side with his entirely different rep
reservations made in his letters to the
Paris bank. There is so much of this
matter that it would be Improbable to
abstract it fully. Here are few quota
lions from Mr.. Pillsbury's testimony:
Even in their most prosperous years
the elevator companies made Ohly. IL
per cent.
If the farmers themselves are salts
fed. certainly the elevator interests and
the milling and other interests should
not complain.
am one who believes that the legiti-
mate selling of wheat should be as free
as the air we breathe, and that it should
not be interfered with in any way.
This latter statement is cOntraSted
with letter written by Pillsbury's gen.
eral manager, in which he says that he
has information that the Farmrrs' ALI
ance is talking of putting up an elevator
at Grand Harbor, one of the points
where Pillsbury has all elevator, and
that he does not know whether the
party addressed can stop it or not. but
advises the person to whom the letter
is sent to see Loucks, who was instru-
mental in establishing Farmers Alliance
elevators, and induce him, by the repre-
sentation that there was very little bust
ness at that point and that it was not a
paying one, to abandon the idea of To-
eating an elevator there. PIllsbury's
general manager, Amsden, wrote a
number of letters, in which he con-
stantly referred to Pillsbury, saying
that Pilsbury desired this and PillSbury
desired that, from which the conclusion
is made by the publication that Pills
bury knew of the existence of the COM
bine and the means to which his man.
ager resorted in the effort to deceive the
farmers, destroy competition and bring
about result which would inure to the
benefit of the railroad companies and be
disadvantageOus to the raiser Of grain
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

present their tickets for payment at the
prices prevailing when the tickets were
issued, they still continue to charge the
farmer storage on his wheat. In other
words, the point is made that the farm
erS pay enormous sums each year for
wind wheat; that is, they are paying
for storage when the wheat is not in
the elevators, but has ben shipped ont
months before. The Northwestern and
Southwestern associations are still in
existence, and it is alleged that the rob-
berries and other tricks described are
being Dracticed at the present time.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
FORTUNES FROM FARMERS
Net Profits Said to Run to Enor-
nous Figures.

Net Profits Said to Run to EnOr-
nous Figures.
The profit of the Pillsbury mills is
subject which is ventilated. Having
shown that the elevators are enormously
profitable the book next proceeds with
proof of the equally large profits OF the
PillSbury- Wastburn mills. Plllsbury's
testimony before congress, in which he
declared that the millers had paid the
farmers more for wheat than they had
gotten Out Of the farmers, ana that it
was only by the employment of the
highest art i'll the milling business that
any money was to be made, Is contrasted
with the net profits of three concerns
composing the Pillsbury- Washburn
Milling company, limited. This COM
parry was formed Of the firm of C. A.
Plllsbury u Co., the PaliSade and Lin
coin -four mills and the Minueap-
oils 81 Northern Elevator COM
pany. Senator Washburn is part
her with Pillsbury. and these two
gentlemen are managing directors in
the corporation, which was capitalized
III this country at 81, 100000 anu tioated
III England at $5,000,OO0. The figures
show that in 1885 the net profit of these
three concerns was 81, 226. 273,and in 1883
81, 260, $50. The least profit that they ever
made III SIX years was SS93.39l, except
one year, 1856, when they made no profit
at all. but loss of $3.50, 1874. The reason
that there was loss in 1856 is explained
by the fact that the milling and elevator
combine attempted i'll that year TO cor
her the wheat market. 1t was in that
year that the general manager of the
trust wrote to a travelling man that the
latter would probably make more at
something else for that year, but his pay
next year would be doubled if I'VE do
/ not drop all our chips on Chicago wheat"
They managed to get the price up tc Lilo.
but 1T dropped so suddenly from that
figure that Senator Washburn, Pills
bury and all those in the combine sue
ceeded In getting out only by the skin
of their teeth. The profits of all the
elevator companies given are very
large, and in one case it is shown by
chartered accountants who examined
the Atlantic elevator. in which Senator
WaShDurn is large stockhOlde I, that
tort less than year the profits were
T 100000. Proof is submitted that, al
though for less than year the profits
were $4,000. the elevator company re-
turned its property to the tax collector
of Hennepin county, Minnesota, as
worth only $1,000. The Atlantic Ele-
vator company is not only largely owned
and controlled by Senator Washburn.
but is also located on the $500 line,
Senator WaShburn'S road.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
GENERAL 1fANAGER IRONS.
The Arbitrary Advance or Keduc-
ton of Prices


The testimony is given of a detective
who for several months made an inyesti-
CATION into this system conducted by
General Manager Irons. and in his evil
dence this detective shows that he got
Information of the existence OF the com
blne from Robert |. Irons, son OF
Frank ii. Irons. Young Irons Informed
the detective, man named Scott, that
his father notified the elevator com
panles of the arbitrary reduction or adj
vance i'll price, and Instructed them how
they should notify their people, and
they notified 4 number of private buy
erS who were supposed TO be indepen-
dent buyers by postal card. The farmer
Is led 10 believe that these independent
buyers arc not in the combine, but from
this evidence it would seem that they
are, and 1t is also in evidence that the
wheat combination has in many in
stances started elevators, which they
called farmers elevators, and through
which they gave out the idea that they
were not members of the combine. and
hence would deal with the farmers
squarely and honestly. The farmers,
finding that these elevators marked
Farmers Elevators" paid no more Tor
wheat than the elevators known 10 be
i'll the combine paid, concluded that the
combine elevators were paying as much
as the independent buyers, as repre-
scented by the alleged farmers eleva-
tors, were paying, and hence they were
getting fair price for their wheat.
The book is full of an exposition of
this sort Of tricks. Mr. Scott, III his tes-
timony, gives partial list OF the names
belonging to the elevator combine pro-
duceS postal cards used by MIR. Irons in
notifying the elevator c,muaOlpS and
teStiiieS as to the use Of set OF books
by Irons upon which he saw the names
of the North Dakota Elevator. Mime
apolis Elevator company and other COM
panies. The book shows that in addi-
ton to the robbery OF the farmers by
grades, weight dockage and price, the
elevator companies charge So cents
per month for storage, cleaning etc, on
each bushel of wheat, and that though
they ship the farmers wheat out of the
elevators months before the farmers
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
THE THROTTLERS.
Something About How the Cor
pOrations Combine.

On the subject of railroad corporations
affiliating with the wheat combine, the
book says that no disagreement or com
potion IN rates prevails among the rival
railroad corporations distinctly separate
in their organization and ownership,
and whose individual and special in
terests in the natural order of things
would require them to compete before
Inc people for carrying the trade. 1t is
also alleged that all forms of competi-
ton In Minnesota between the different
railroad corporations for the purpose Of
securing 2 carrying trade of wheat and
grain has been utterly destroyed. The
carriage and transportation OF wheat In
Minnesota aud the Northwest is at the
same rate On all rival railroad systems.
The logical inIpdtation is that all the
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
RAILROADS In IT.
They Refuse Farmers Cars in
Which to Ship Wheat

IT its figures on the profits made by
The elevator companies and the mills on
wheat, the book spows that while the
profit between the farm and Minneap0-
lis and Duluth is anywhere from to 25
ants buShel. the profit fIom Mime
S2oliS to Liverpool amounts to only
about 2 cents. Between Minneapolis
and Duluth on the one hand, and New
York on the other, there is no profit on
bushel of wheat 10 amount to any
thing. Freight discrimination by North
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

was entirely bald-headed !;
it then broke out on my
arms and shoulders, until
my arms were just one
sore. 1t covered my entire
body, my face, head and
shoulders being the worst.
The white scabs fell CON
stantly from nay head,
shoulders and arms: the
skin would thickeu and be
red and very itchy. and
would crack and bleed if
scratched. After spending
many hundreds of dollars,
I was nrnnOI1n1aA inaT-
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
DREADFUL PSORIASIS
Covering Entire Body With White
Scales. Suffering Fearful.
Cured by Cut!cura.

My disease (psoriasis) first broke out OH my
most covering my face 1t ran into my eyes,
and the physician was afraid l would lose
my eyesght altogether. 1t spread all over
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
Cutjcura Resolvent

Sold everywhere. Price, CUTIcURA. soc. ;
SOAP, 25o. ; REsoLvENT, 81. Prepared by the
POTTER DRUG AND CHEMICAL CORPORATION,
Boston.
W Send for How to Cure Skin Diseases"
Cd pages, so illustrations and 100 testimo-