St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-11
F.F. Lyons. Local Forecast oaiciaI.
THE WHEAT GROWERs, LOSS.

The advance sheets Of the annual
report of the railway and warehouse
commission of North Dakota have
reached the press, and contain much
that is worthy of attention, even out
side of the state for which they speak
directly. The facts adduced have
special value as related in some points
to the developments of the late wheat
investigation in this state. The COM
mission first discusses the action of the
elevators the past year. 1t will be re-
membered that the last North Dakota
legislature empowered the commission
to establish such rules as were
deemed needful for the regulation
of the public warehouses, the weigh
ing of grain, and to inquire into all
allegations of unfairneSS or oppression
in the grain trade. The report goes on
to state that in pursuance Of this duty
the commission laid down certain rules,
but the line elevator companies doing
business in the state refused to comply
with them, and, failing to induce the
commission to abandon its demands.
operated the elevators as private
houses. The rules they refused to ac
eept limited the charges to two cents a
buShel for insuring and storing the
grain for twenty days, and five cents
for six months, and required daily
reports to the commission OF the
transactions Of each elevator. the
amounts received, dockage price,
etc, also baSing the price paid for
wheat on the figures at Minneapolis the
day previous, allowing four cents per
bushel for handling. Refusing to COM
ply with these conditions, the elevators
did not accept or handle grain for farm
erS, but became private buyers, subject
TO no conditions or regulations. Some
of the farmers who were able to do so
demanded cars of the railroads and
shipped their own grain. The report
states that they received from to 20
cents bushel more than the local eie-
vators were paying. 1t IS assumed that
this experience will not be lost upon
the wheat growers, and that they will
in time largely do their own shipping.
Not the least important part of the report
is the showing of a very remarkable
chaSm between the figures obtained by
the farmer and the prices brought by
the wheat in the English markets.
Tables are given extending back six
years, presenting the prices Of wheat at
Duluth and London on corresponding
dates, and including all intermediate
costs and charges of every character.
These tables show that wheat of the big
crop of the past year sold in the Red
river valley and shipped to London left
profit in some intermediate hands of
80 cents per bushel. This is attributed
to three cause.-the dockage of from
three to seven pounds for dirt, when a
half-pound would cover the actual dirt;
the lowering of the grades of the
average farmer, and false weights.
One of the reasons assigned for
this condition is the fact that there is
no competition among the elevators.
There may be several at one station
owned by different companies, but prac-
tically there is only one. They all work
together. The report estimates that the
elevators Will handle 100000 bushels
of the crop of 1891. The profit of 80
cents per bushel is 100000 that the
grain grower is deprived of. 1t is sug-
gested, in remedial way, that the
farmers must work out their salvation
for themselves. If they cannot find re-
lief in legislative action, they must Or
ganize and provide their own elevators
at West Superior. London or Liverpool
President SHoRTRIDGE, of the State
Farmers Alliance, is quoted as fully
indorSing these statements after inves-
tigation. There is apparently very
practical field for the efforts of the grain
growers.