St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-15


buver at Morris. He testified that he
had been driven out of the business OF
grain buying by the shortage in his
weights. He had at first bought for Ii.
II. Wells. of the Stevens county bank,
at two cents bushel. Then i'll 1856 he
had gone into business on his own ac-
count. but having no scales had to de-
pend on the state inspection. The first
wear he came out with a shortage OF 260
bushels and the second year with
shortage of 900 bushels. Then he QUIT.
Chief Inspector Causen conducted
the cross-eXamination for the state, ana
he is a shrewd one. He understands his
business. and his questions 20 right
home. He wanted to know 10 Whom
MaginniS attributed his shortage.
"Well, [ always believed my wheat
was not properly weighed at the ter
mnas."
You are aware" continued the in
spector, "as grain buyer, of the mis-
haps that may befall grain in shipment.
You have spoken of wheat stealing at
terminal points; are you not ready 10
admit that your shortage might have oc-
cured in that way?''
well, l don't know how it oc-
cured"
Gen. Barrett here made astatementas
20 what he expected to prove by the
agent Dennis at Hermann. lie had in
intended TO show by Dennis that the
Great Northern had notified buyers at
Hermann that they were paying too
much for wheat. Mr.. Dennis could not
testify, having been instructed by At
torney Grover, of the Great Northern,
10 answer no questions from the inveSti-
eating committee.
Wheat Rate Margins.
Secretary Teisberg, of the state rail-
road and warehouse commission, was
then sworn. Gen. Barrett, in course
of questioning on rates for wheat car
rage to the Seaboard, brought out some
interesting facts. He showed that the
interstate freight rate from Chicago to
the seabOard via LackaWanna road was
the same as the rate from Duluth to the
seaboard The price of wheat bought
in the Northwest is the price of wheat
in Chicagohess the freight TO that point.
Now. the rate from Fargo to Chicago is
26 cents, while the rate from Fargo to
Duluth is only Is cents. Thus the COM
bine or elevator system buying on the
basis of Chicago and shipping by way
of Duluth gains margin OF 10 cents.
The farmers claim that with clear
margin of to 10 cents, both at Duluth
and Minneapolis. an arrangement can
be made at any time to raise or depress
prices either at Duluth or Minneapolis.
There is Just as little reason to won
der about the fluctuation in prices be-
tween Minneapolis and Duluth" went
OH the general. Having this margin
of 10 cents, when Duluth wants wheat
Minneapolis drops prices. When Min
neapolis wants it, Duluth prices are
dropped down few cents. Then, of
course, the tide of shipment is toward
Minneapolis. N0w.what is our remedy
the farmers remedy? The only thing
TO do is to make Duluth what it really
iS--an ocean portland compel II TO pay
the Chicago price. The only way it can
be done is by the building of state ele-
Vators as already suggested"
Senator HiXon. of Grant county, who
buys grain at Hermann, and who testi-
fled last fall before the committee as to
shortages and whose testimony reflected
on the inspection department, was
asked under oath by Clausen whether
he laid the blame for the shortages on
the department, replied that he did not.
That excused the witness.
Railroad Magnates Testify.
At11:30 General Manager Mohler and
Vice President Clough of the Great
Northern, were summoned by telephone
to appear before the committee and ex-
plain the policy of the road as to prices.
General Manager A. l.. Mohler, of the
Great Northern, took tie stand at II
O'Clock. There had been some misun-
Outstanding as TO an adjournment, and
half the committeeman had left the
room. Attorney McGhee, representing
the elevators, had also gone away. Gen.
Barrett wanted Attorney Grover, of the
Great Northern to interrogate General
Manager Mohler as to the policy of the
road. Grover laughed at him. He said
the Great Northern was not volunteer
ing evidence.
This committee" he said, "appar-