The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-04-09
MADISON SOUTH Dakota, SATURDAY, APRIL 8. 1892


ever, that the amount so shipped was
an oyerage which was on hand at the
time they be gan to do business under
the inspection law. This wheat, the
committee believes, the elevator COM
panies should have caused to be ''in-
spected in" at the time the inspection
laws went into effect. That it was not
done was probably due, the committee
thinks, TO u misapprehension of their
duties rather than desire to evade the
law. In the matter OF inspection and
weighing tho committee finds that there
have been no abuses which might not
be attributable to one of eight causes
named, and that the proportion of justi-
fable complaints is probably not ont Of
proportion to tho amount of business
handled.
The next matter of Importance
touched upon is that Of the alleged ele-
vator combination. The committee ad-
mits that this was rather outside its
jurisdiction, but its great Importance
induced them to investigate it. The
committee finds on this subject that
there is no evidence which establishes
the fact of such combination among
the elevator companies OF Minnesota, or
between the elevator and railroad COM
panies. The prices alleged to have been
arbitrarily fixed by Frank Irons. of
Minneapolis, the committee finds were
in reality given out by committee of
the Minneapolis chamber of commerce,
whose duty it was to ascertain the clos
ing price of the market. These prices
were sent by Mr.. Irons to his CORES
pondents.
The committee finds that the produc-
ing intererts of the state are at this time
as they have been for long time in the
past, the victims of grain manipulators
throughout the country. Well devised
and ably executed manipulations on the
part of Chicago spectators have un-
doibtedly resulted in greatly depressing
prices. This implies financial loss to
the farmers in this state OF many
millions. The producers of wheat should
be untrammsled in placing their crops
upon the markets of the world They
should stand on an equal footing Of the
most powerful in this regard. As they
cannot III justice ask for other than
reasonable facilities they should at all
times enjoy nothing else.
The committee recommends legisla-
/ tion to correct abuses as follows:
First-AIl railroad companies Of and
doing. business in this state should be
1 required ~ construct and maintain
/ track ncefen
Sd puhxio wnrehouses should be
Il REQUIRE Dy INV t0 ascertain at least
once during each crop year the amount
of wheat in their bins and the amount
Of outstanding warehouse receipts.
Third-In view of the great impor-
tance Of the subject and the vast inter-
ests involved, the committee without
committing itself to any policy of legis-
lation, earnestly recommend that the
next legislature consider the adyisa-
bility of passing law providing
contiguous to deep water, at
public expense, warehouses sufficiently
large TO afford storage without mixing
the grain of differnt grades, for grain
produced in this state, and for which
service the state shall receive or may
impose moderate charae.
| Observation-Disclosures, the committee
would recommend that the next legis-
lature. either by memorial to congress
or otherwise, take some steps to
counteract the evil influence of wheat
gambling at Chicago and other great
grain centers.
| Fifth-The committee would recon-
mend, If practicable, that public ele.
vators be required to construct scales
and weigh grain upon the ground floor
before the grain is elevated, so that the
unloading of cars may be under the
supervision of state weighers.