St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-09

some substantial proof in this line. ac-
cuslng the elevator companies of buy
ing off independent buyers, and the
Great Northern with refusing to furnish
cars TO track buyers.
The committee got together about 8
o'clock and Chairman Geissel an
nOunced that telegram had been re-
ceived from Senator Smith announcing
his inability to he present Messrs.
French and Ielch were absent (Mr.
Zelch came in later, and he wanted to
know whether the committee would adj
JOurn until morning. There was unan-
imOus opposition to this, and Gen. Bar
rett was given an opportunity to make
his statement. 1t was a vOluminOus
typewriter document, and one hour
and twenty minutes were consumed in
its reading, Mr.. Barrett interpOlating
many explanations. The paper was
largely reproduction of newspaper in
terylews aud articles drawn out by the
Washb urn anti-Option bill They were
from Washington, Chicago and Mime
apols, and gave the views of Senator
WashbuTn, Hon. G. A. Pillsbury, G. NJ.
Lorlng, the late A. j. Sawyer and
others. Gen. Barrett's conclusions
were that wheat would be from 20 to
% cents higher but for the Chicago
board OF trade, which, according to
Senator WaShburn, fixed the price of
wheat for the world. incidentally, Gen.
Barrett stated that he had been informed
by representative of one of the biggest
implement houses in the world, which
had agents in Russia and every other
grain growing section of the world, and
whose business it was to know every
thing that could be learned of the wheat
market, that this statement was abso-
lutely correct. During the reading
Gen. Barrett apoIOgized for being
obliged to bring into the controversy
the name of Mr.. Sawyer. who had so
recently died, but he said it was neceS-
sary in order to properly state the case
The apology was not necessary, how
ever, for there was no reflection upon
that gentleman III any Of the statements
made.
In commenting on the articles, Gen.
Barrett said that he had endeavored to
give fair statement of both sides of
the controversy. He contended that the
wheat crop of the Northwest, under the
present system, was auctiOned off in
Chicago, much after the style of sale
of bankrupt goods. 'While wheat goes
out by Duluth" he said, "the price
comes in by Chicago. 1t is not sold
under the law of supply and demand,
but auctlOned off under the hammer to
men who do not want it to use"
lie declared that it was the policy of
the officials of the Great Northern road,
as expressed in published interview,
not to furnish cars for track buyers.
The claim was made by these officials
that this was no hardship to the farmer,
as, it the latter wanted car, he secured
it. The elevator men andithe producers,
the officials say, can getcar but the track
buyers have nothing invested. and are
not producers. They are a disturbing
element. These statements were from
an interview published in the Moorhead
News. Mr. Barrett contended, how
ever. that the track buyers were gener-
ally country merchants, men Of,business
standing, who took grain from the farm
ers, very frequently in payment of ac-
counts. He objected to the elevators
being given exclusive rights which
would kill off competition.
Purchased and Threatened.
Gen. Barrett then went into the mat
ter of the purchase of buyer named
Stowe, at Wadena, by three of the ele-
vator companies. The following copy
of the receipt for the money paid Stowe
was Introduced:
Received of A. A. Turner $3.50 in consider
ation of which | pledge myself not to buy
any wheat or rye, directly or indirectly, or
ship or cause TO be shipped, any wheat or
rye from this station, between the dates of
Sept %, 1891, and May 1, 1892.
JIM. STOWE.
Wadena, Sept. &c, 1891.
The following letter was introduced
by Gen. Barrett, as showing that the
railroads dictated the price of wheat:
GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY LINE, ST. PAUL,
Oct 9, '9l.-Nelson Union Store Company,
Nelson, Mimi - Gentlemen: Complaints
have reached US from Osakis and West Union
son are paying above list. Upon inves-
tigation / find that this is so. and following
the matter up, learn that your company is
the cause OF the disturbance. The elevator
toned threaten TO meet your prices it this
IS not stopped, which will affect our Sank
Center IL Northern branch, and cause trouble
with the 500 line and Northern Pacific.
must therefore request that you reduce your
prices TO the regular market prices before
the trouble spreads. have written the other
elevator companies at that point TO the same
effect. Yours truly, Z. ?. SHELBY,
General Traffic Manager
Gen. Barrett then asked the commit
tee TO ascertain the truth or falsity of
these charges. and also to investigate a
contract between one G. G. Wolcott, of
Larimore. n. D., and the Minneapolis
and Northern Elevator company A
copy of this contract was submitted.
Its provisions, outlined, are:
Wolcott was engaged for five years at
salary of $1,000 a. year. He was to
furnish the elevator company with
money from his bank at such times and
in such sums and denominations as they
might require. He agreed not to pur-
chase wheat for other parties in any of
the counties north of the main line of
the Northern Pacific Railroad company.
He was to use his influence and his eff
forts to induce farmers to store their