New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-04-20

was the fact that the testimony of Mr. Amsden
contains the statement that the elevator com.
panies employ travelling agents to look after
each other business transactions Another in
stance was the buying Off OF J. III. Stowe of Wa
dena.
II Is UPON THIS TESTIMONY
only portion of which have specially referred
TO. that find myself forced TO lind from the tes-
tlmony That combine does exist to control the
price OF wheat Ill the State of Minnesota and the
Northwest 1t is true that the nvestigationin into
the history and autonomy. the detail. circum-
lenanceshas not been pursued TO that exrent
winch the impending danger and tyranny against
the interests OF the producer imperativeiy de-
manded.
The report enters into thorough discus
SION of the matter OF weighing wheat at
Duluth, and its doc age and inspection
taking up the subject of the shipment OF
uninspected and 5ir-bnrnt wheat.
The report proceeds to aggregate the tes-
tlmony In regard to these non-inspected
shipments and finds a total OF SIS, $40 bush
els shipped out OF Duluth elevators be-
tween 1886 and $50 uninspected
After making allowance Tor in-burns
wheat there remained $50, 600 bushels
THE QUESTION NOW NATURALLY ARISES
now was this 10000 bushels of wheat accu-
INFLATED? By what means did 75O, 900 bushels
OIL wheat belonging to the producers of Mime
sofa and the Northwest come into the posses
sion of the elevators of Duluth That question
cannot now be answered specifically under the
testimony. Whether it came from short weights
OF whether 1t came from unswept cars, or
whether 1t came from improper dockage or
whether 1T came from not cleaning out dock AGE
OF whether It came from distractions made
rom grain being shipped Eastward or whether
1t came from all OF these causes or from causes
entlreiy unknown and uIsuegested the testi-
nony does not now plainly and specifically dig
Close IL remains, therefore, yet unsoived
proposition as to whether the inspection de-
partment and the weighing department of the
state OF Minnesota have not by short weights
ana large dockage permitted this vast accretion.
OF on the other hand whether this accretion
and accumulation has not been made in viola
ton OF the inspection and WEIGHING service by
panies.
RECOMMENDATIONS
From a consideration of the entire testi-
mony. and taking the public elevator sys-
tenn in the condition that it now is,
am moved to recommend to Your ex-
ceilency and the legislature of the state that
some means should be provided for weighing the
grain by the railroad companies at the station
where 1t IS received. and the common carrier
weight.
In view of all the testimony, l further recon-
mend what seems to me to be one of the most
important measures for the proper protection
OF the wheat producers OF this state and that is
that all persons in the State OF Minnesota desir-
ing to market wheat shall have equal facilities
TO REACH THE TRACK
or railroads at Minnesota stations. and that q
law be passed by which It is made the duty alb
solute OF every railroad or railway corporation
association or company now or at any future
time operating II railroad or railway as IA COM
mon carrier within this state to provide and
furnish at all stations established or that may
be established Oil their roads Sdetrack facilities
Tor all persons or parties to erect aud maint ain
private elevators or warehouses OF capacity OF
not less than 1000 bushels each for the storage
Z OF grain While awaiting shi pment on such line of
railroad or railway, and to permit and allow
such elevators aud warehouses to be erected.
maintained, controlled and operated BY any
person or corporation desiring to erect. main
tain, control and operate the same for said per-
sons, and further making it the duty absolute OF
SAID railroad companies andcorporations to re-
celVe aud carry over their line lines OF rail-
way all grain offered for shipment to and from
such private elevators and warehouses. and
further making it the duty Of said railroad
it's line or lines OF railroad
or railway all grain offered in car load lots at
such stations without any previous storage and
as offered. .
desire also to coincide with the recommended
tion made to your excelency by the majority
report III as lar such recommendations are
made or modified by the recommendation which
l herein make.
It seems to me and further recommend that
under the present system each inspector should
be charged with the duty OF seeing that the
CARS WE'RE PROPERLY CLEANED,
and that all grain in cars or other vehicles car
ried to public elevator shall be actually re-
celved into the scales and weighed
1t seems proper also TO recommend that
where cars are inspected on the track by the in
spector and are liable to remain for any time
whatever before they unloaded they should
be resealed by the inspector making such inspec-
ton.
also recommend to your excellency and the
legislature that whatever system OF grading and
inspection shall hereafter seem tit 10 be estab-
Ilsned by law such system OF grading and inSpec-
ton shall never De permitted to affect the sale
OF wheat on its merits in the country. and III no
case to permit 1t to be graded at the country
station by state official.
Before concluding this report feel it my duty
to call your excellency's attention to the fact
that the la bors OF this Investigating committee
have been confined, SO far as theicit shipment
OF non-nspected grain is concerned. to only the
elevator system at Duluth. 1t certainly is a
suspicious circumstance that these shipments of
norl-inspected grain at Duluth have occurred
while the general market OF the State of Mime
sofa was in the hands OF a combine. have
endeavored to show is exhibited by the tes-
tlmony.
THE TESTIMONY FURTHER SHOWS
that the wheat growers of Minnesota are dis
eliminated against in the matters OF freight
rates. The distance from st. Cloud to Duluth
is nearly forty miles less than from Minneapolis
to Duluth. by way OF the Great Northern and
Eastern Minnesota, corporation owned and
by Mr.. Grover. The rate on wheat from Mime
apoiis to Duluth Is ~ cents, while from St.
Cloud to Duluth forty miles less, the rate is "
cents per bushel. This being a single instance Of
the general discrimination against the wheat
growers of Minnesota and the Northwest and in
favor of the milling combine of Minneapolis.
And wish to give it as my opinion that If the
board of railroad and warehouse commissioners
had observed the law in relation to the posting
Of damaged grain at Duluth and had held the
Duluth elevator companies to strict observ-
ance of that law there probably would never
have been any cause for the expenditure OF So
0OO which has been made by this committee.
IL seems to me that the
DOok TO THESE ILLICIT SHIPMENTS
was opened by the permission to disregard the
provisions OF the law in regard to the posting of
grain, q permission which. it seems to me, was
not contemp. ated by the board OF commission
ers, but which the elevator companies have
made the excuse for their candestiue and secret
shipment OF non-inspected wheat
The testimony OF Mr.. PillSbucy before the
joint committee Is interesting in that it at
tempts to lay the entire blame OF the depressed
condition of the Minnesota wheat market at
the door OF the wheat pit gamblers on the board
| OF trade in the city OF chicago. I am not dis
| posed to agree with Mr.. Pillsbury in this
| opinion and this opinion form in view of the
testimony taken before this committee. 1believe
! that the present depressed condition OF the
! market in Minnesota is due more
LARGELY TO THE COMBINE
| which in my opinion exists between the elevator
| systems and the railroads of Minnesota and
tt. htpac Z, y,E,