davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29
BENSON. Mimi. Jan. 20. q

BENSON, Mimi, Jan. 20, '92.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
OF all the papers l receive, the
"GREAT VEST" is certainly the very
last one willingly would miss sim
gle issue OF, for any price. Yours
fraternally, EDWARD LARSEN.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29

JASPER, MINI, Jan. %, '92.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
Don't stop the paper, for we can't
get along without the true Gospel of
reform. Glad to see you are elected
State Lecturer, and expect in the fu-
ture to see a move against enemy's
works. Yours fraternaly,
w. 81. BUXTON.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29
Grow RIVER, Jan. -. 9:

CRUW NIVER, Jttn. II, u.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
Accept my congratulations. AL
though l could not be at the state
meeting in person, my prayers were
with you. With Mr.. Donnelly as
President and DR.. Fish as Lecturer,
the alliance may be expected to
grow and prosper. The plutocrats
tremble and our victory will be their
glorious defeat. GEO. A. LEANING.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29
State of NJ nnesota,

County Of Yellow Medicine.
On this 18th day of December in the year 1884,
personally appeared before me Jacob Cook, John
J. Mooney. Rasmus KGutson. Lewis Anderson
James Il. Justson, and f. B. Day, and each for
himself acknowledged that he signed and sealed the
pose and fntents therein expressed. and as his
own free act and w. A. J. JOHNSON,
116-l20 Notary Public.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29

w ASECA, NHIuH., dI., III, u:
EDITOR GREAT WEST.
Dr., you have many friends here as
we'll as every where in America. We
hope that Gig. and Doc will be sue
cessful in working out the salvation
Of the Alliance. You have a powerful
enemy to contend with-the i'm
mense wealth of America-and the
two old humbug parties. Remember
there are many good and true friends
OF the alliance who are not yet en-
rolled, but who will count up sternly
at the polls. PATRICK KENEHAN.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29

Letter From Secretary Stromberx
FOREST LAKE, Mimi, Jan. 25, '92
EDITOR GREAT West:
A few lines in answer to your arti-
Gle headed: can Important Matter
to Fillmore County," Sixteen local
alliances in Fillmore County have
paid membership fees to me as Sec'y
State Alliance. A number of alliances
from same county as well as from
elsewhere have reported that their
dues will be use,l for delegates ex-
pense. In most cases said expense
greatly exceeds all dues, and receipts
for such expense have but seldom
been required. Charter fee for ALI
ance, No. 1874 was received by me
from Mr.. 0. W. Kingsbury, December
22d, 1891, and I have not stopped
my weekly reports.
In November, 1891, after having
corrected my list during the whole
year as near as circumstances would
allow, l had thirty-four local ALI.
ances on my list OF Fillmore County
and two new alliances were organized
in said county in December, 1891.
In 1S90-91, Fillmore county had
twenty-five local alliances represent
ed at the annual meeting, and nine
local alliances have been organized
in Fillmore county since then. Most
respectfully, A. L. STRoMBERG,
Sec'y.
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29

you good
The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-29

$40 WABAsHA ST., ST. PAUL, MINI
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
OVERRIDING THE LAW.
No Prosecution of Those to Whom
HOlCOmb Sold

In the control of the railroad and
warehouse commissioners and its in
spectOrs and ether subordinates by the
wheat combine, the charge is made that
Chief Inspector Clausen, who has re-
Gently promulgated a new scheme for
grading wheat which he says is going
to benefit the farmers, raised the dock
age" in one case and made firSt-claSs
wheat inspect No. 2 when there were
any number of buyers doing an iude-
pendent business who would have taken
it as No. l whes=S and would have paid
a price iin excess of the price paid by
the combine. The charge is further
made that no prosecution was ever had
of the firms to whom Holcomb is alleged
to have sold the wheat which he stole
from the Minneapolis e. Northern Ele-
vator company. The railroad law of Min
nesOta is quoted as providing for the
forfeiture of $4,000 bond given by
each elevator wherever such elevator
mixes any grain of different grades to-
gether, or combines different qualities
Of the same grade for the purpose of
storing or delivering it, or wherever
such elevator attempts to deliver one
grade for another, or in any way tamper
with the grain with view to securing
any profit thereby" Holcomb's testi-
mony is clearly to the effect that the
officers OF the Minneapolis & Northern
Elevator company ordered this done,
and yet it Is shown that the railroad
and warehouse commissioners meyer
proceeded against the Pillsburys, the
M1n1e2pels q Northern Elevator COM
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18

ont the fact that he thought Wolcott
was able to handle the farmers and that
he wanted the latter's help and was
willing to pay for it. He said that
LouckS, who was then president of, the
Dakota Farmers Alliance, gave him
more trouble than anybody else, and he
asked Wolc0tt if he thought he (NNol-
cotD could handle Loucks. Wolcott's
reply. as lie swears to it, was. IL think.
MIR. Pillsbury, that Mr.. Loucks is built
like you, that he is out for money"
Wolcott says he told PillSbury thatg
LOucks' farm was mortgaged, and that
he knew of no one who objected toi
making money easily. He says that
T lllSbury inquired of him whetheEhe
was sure of this. and, upon his stating
that he was, Pillsbury told hinIs that
he must have a talk with a. y.
Sawyer, now dead; John @. AdamRand
others who were Interested with Thin.
They parted, and Wolcott says THAI the
next day. while he was in the oftiee of
the Scandinavian elevator company,
the clerk handed him letter ADDRESSED
10 II. l.. Loucks. Wolcott supposed
that the letter was on business of the
scandinavian Elevator company. and as
he was as much interested in that COM
pahy- Is Loucks. he opened the letter.
He'sWears that it was from 9. Nj. Ans
den. general manager; that it requested
i.ouCks 10 call upon him as soon as he
reached minneapolis. LouckS was then
ouC.0f the city, and on. his return VOL
colt handed him the letter, explaining
that had Supposed it was on the com
pany's business. and had opened it.
After reading it LouckS stated that
AmSden' seemed to be anxious to
see him as soon as he got home,
and he guessed he had better go
at once. He said he did not know Mr.
Amsden and went out. He returned
shortly afterward and told Wolcott that
he had called upon Amsden, vino had
said that il was not he who wanted to
see LOucks, but that it was G. 4. Pills
bury; that Mr.. Pillsbury had made a
mistake in signing Amden'S name to
The letter. He advised LouckS to go
and see PillSbury at once. Loucks told
Nolcott that he called on Pillsbury. but
was out. WO!c0tt says he left the Scan
dInavian elevator office, was absent
probably an hour, and on his return
found Pillsbury and Loucks together,
engaged in a deep and animated con-
versation. What passed between them
he does not say, nor is he prepared to
state, but he SwearS he had talk with
l.oucks the next day on the wheat Ques-
ton, and that LOuck' views and ideas
upon the subject of ihe wheat combine
had experienced sudden and eXtraor-
binary change.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
SUDD TNLX DUMB.
IIoucks Stops His Denunciation Of
the Combine


Before the consultation with Pills
bury, L0ucks is alleged TO have been
loud in his Pronunciation of the wheat
combination, bat afterWard he made eX-
cuses for it and in various ways indi-
Gated that some Influence had been
BROUGHT 10 bear upon him that had
changed his mind. WOlcott swearS that
LOucks neglected the affairs of the ele-
vat0r company, and that the company,
which had been organized in opposition
TO the trust, after continuing for few
months, went out of business. Loucks
Is alleged to have pnt the blame for the
condition of the farmers upon blndiug
tw.ne and farm implement trusts, claim
ing that these trusts, and not the ele-
yator trust, were keeping the farmer
down and preventing his making any
money. Ioucks has lately formed an
alliance with the peoples party and has
been making speeches in the South.
The People party, the book says, has
taken no position whatever i'll this nat
ter OF the wheat ring, So far as the State
OF Minnesota is concerned. and one of
its former members, w. w Erwiu.sof
ST. Pau, is quoted as saying thai in
view Of the action of the Peobie,s
party's late convention he was satisfied
that ''behind the leaders of the party is
secret conclave of the politicians,
monopoiists and railroad magnates who
make up the terrible combine which
now rules the markets aud politics of
this state with an iron hand" Mr..
Erwin is prominent lawyer in st.
Paul, and he is quoted as saying that
this combine is close to the life of every
man in this country, and that instead
of marshalipg every man in the state To-
political battle on that vital question.
the leaders of the Peoples party had
turned a deaf ear to the entrealies of
old fighters and acted in a manner in
dcating that some influence had been
brought to bear uDon them
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
DEMOCRATS OFFER RELIEF.
How Farmers Can Bring the Great

How Farmers Can Bring the Great
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 in 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
disregarded one of their primary func-
tions, 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 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 necessary of
life, and that they must vote for that
Poh.J "iiASh VIII PlCuS7C ltSCIl, dIlu lul-
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
a fair 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 genulneness, 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
were made for its publication, and Mr.
Campbell and Mr.. Baker returned to st.
Paul with o. n. Hall. member of CON
gress Ton the Third district of Mime
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
LOUCKS' CHANGE.
The Farmers Alliance Presidents

4
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 ring, is made
by G. G. Wolcott. WOlcott and LouckS
were associated together in establishing
the Scandinavian Elevator company,
the name of which was suisse
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 TO 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
to have offered, as a 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 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 III 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, ana that they had no
cause to complain.
The interview between LOucks and
Pillsbury referred to is described by
Wolcott as follows: he SAYS that about
the last of July. 1889, he was called upon
at the West hotel, Minneapolis, by
Charles A. PillsDury, and that in a 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. Ii 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 a
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 his 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 tue North
western and Southwestern Elevator
associations. and that the general man.
ager. arbitrator, agent, or whatever else
he may be 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 ali 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. Duluth.
Chicago and New York prices are. and
that the list price in other words is the
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
pany nor anybody else concerned in the

Dany nor anybody else concerned III the
alleged robbery.
1t is asserted that "were the Repub-
lican government of Minnesota not
under the control and dominion of the
wheat ring, were it not of the utmost
Importance that the ring should have
its aid in successfully evading the con-
sequences of its bold and conscience
less disregard of all law and justice,
were the leaders of the wheat combine
not pledged to maintain in power the
Republican, office-holders, who know
they cannot be elected without this
powerful aid, and were the Republican
party in earnest in its pretended inter-
est in the farmers welfare, there would
be no difficulty in breaking I'D this
audacious combination. 1t is pointed
out that Mr.. Pillsbury and Senator
Washburn have grown rich in the wheat
business: that Senator Washburn has
home in Minneapolis which cost him
sl,OOO.Oo0; that the Pillsburys' homes
cost we'll up into the millions, and that
the list of endowments made by the
PillSbury family to the University of
Chicago, a school in Minnesota, library
in New Hampshire and gifts in other
cities aggregated nearly half a million
dollars. 1t is also pointed out that John
5. Piilsbury, managing director of the
PillsburyWashbu Milling company,
limited. was governor for three terms
in Minnesota, member of the state
senate and occupied other offices through
the Republican party: that G. A. Pills
bury was a state senator for several
terms. and it also is alleged that the
PiiiSburys have said that they have all
the money they want, and do not care
Tor anything now but political honors.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
STRIKING DISCREPANCIES.
Testimony Compared With Well
known 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 MIR. 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
tions from Mr.. Pillsbury's testimony:
Even in their most prosperous years
the elevator companies made ONLY. ~
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.
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 inStIu-
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. Plllsbury's
general manager, Amsden, wrote a
number of letters, in which he con-
stantly referred to Pillsbury, saying
that Pillsbury desired this and Pilsbury
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
FORTUNES PROM FARMERS
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
PlllSbury- WaSilburn mills. PillSbury'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
Milling company, limited This COM
parry was formed of the firm of c. A.
Pillsbury q Co.. the Palisade and Lin
coin -four mills and the Minueap-
oils 81 Northern Elevator coin
pany. Senator -Washburn is a part
ner with Pillsbury. and these two
gentlemen are managing directors in
the corporation, which was capitalized
III this country at s., 100000 anu floated
III England at S5.000,O00. 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, 1886, when they made no profit
at all. but loss of S159, 7S4. 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 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 S1.10.
but 1T dropped so suddenly from that
I 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
F; WaShburn is large stockhOlde +, that
for' less than year the profits were
$4,000. 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
aid 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

railroad systems, through uniform &C
ton 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 tiieir 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
the 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 a number of instances
where the railroad companies have di-
rect!y Interfered 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 cOmpeti-
ton and the adoption of uniform prices
and weight rates. The moving cause of
this surrender of competition by the dis
tinct railroad companies is alleged to lie
III the fact that the present rates re-
ceiyed 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 W
OF the enhanced freight rates on the
traffic which it receives.