Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-02-19
LOOK EEtORE YOU LEAP"

"LOOK EEtORE q LEAP"
That United States Senator Wash
burDe of Minnesota is ar able, ex-
perienced and patriotic statesman, those
who know him will admit, but that he
is infallable canno be said. His ro-
posed bill for the regulation of the sales
of wheat now pending before congress
should be carefully considered and
seriously discussed before tital action.
If this "blli' was amended by %forbidding
the syndication or consolidation of mills
by mill owners, the possibility Of the
producer being placed at the mercy of
millers and exporters would be removed.
Millers are just as good-but 10 better
than other classes of business mon,
and one the less liable to give away to
mans ruling Observation-Disclosures All
parts of this bill intended to forbid
irregular dealing and gambling In the
grain centers of the country should he
sustained. But those parts that curtail
the privileges of buying, coutracti G and
selling grain III Il broad open and free
market, or makes the grain trade CON-
plicated and hazardous, by red tape
rules, or by ,lliberal laws, thereby
driving ont and keeping out CAPITALISTS
who have been and wish to continue in
the grain trade, should be eliminated
from the bill or competition will be
greatly reduced, and the producer will
be the first to feel it in a damaging way.
Our country's great crops-cotton, sugar,
tobacco, wheat, corn, oats, barley, fruit
and meat are handled by contracts, by
future delivery sales as well as cash on
delivery, and the producer often makes
better sales, and secures advances on his
crop, much more readily and satisfactory
than he would if the field was limited to
a less number of buyers, or reliable ON
mission merchants were barred
out, and not allowed to negotiate
between the producer and buyer.
The producer generally is not able to
carry his crop any great length of time.
He is not at all times posted OF prices,
or is he informed in regard to the in1u-
ences bearing on and controlling the
market, from day to day and week to
week, hence he cannot form a correct
opinion of or even make Il good gless
about prices. But through the strong
competition among millers, exporters
and commission merchants he comes
nearer ascertaining the value of his
produce aud effects SALES uude1 stand
iugly.
The farmer of North Dakota has been
forced by reason of obligations matur-
ing and matured to market his wheat us
soon after tbreshing as practicable. If
the buyers are by law limited to null rs
and exporters, who are the shalpest
business men in this country and Eu-
rope who are in touch by wire with all
grain c~enters, knowing the amount on
hand, in sight and the probable yield
throughout the grain growing regiuns,
how easily they could combine and like
the early bird "catch the worm" Then
again when the water routes are clused
i'll winter, the elevators full to overflow
ing, rail transportation more expensive,
how easy, how natural for the miller
aud exporter to cry out, "hold, enough"
20 they could catch the late worm.
If we have a law that forbids trusts
that holds good, why not have one for
bidding consolidation of mills. North
Dakota wants mills in every county, but
would like them to be competitive both
in prices and quality Of product.
The Washburne bill may be all right,
fore passage.