St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-13
Good Reason for Believing
That There Is Something
in the Story.
Information From a Man Who
Claims to Know Whereof
He Speaks.
Patrick Collins Slugged,
Robbed and Left in a Pre-
eapious Condition.
Razored in Westminster's
Doorway--Holman's Opin-
ion Changed.

Is flour milling trust being formed
in the Northwest?
A few days ago story came from
Oshkosh to the effect that. trust, to
control all the flour mills of any conse
quence in the Northwest, was in prog
resS of formation. Several of the Min
neapolis millers were asked about it.
All denied that the story contained an
element of truth. On the other hand,
GLOBE man was told yesterday by a
man who is identified with the Mime
apoliS flour mills that the story from
Oshkosh was true. This man is not
-four mill proprietor, but ne is so con-
nected with the flour. milling business
that he would know whether the mills
were forming a trust. For obvious rea-
sons he does not want to be quoted. He
can only make the assertion and wait
for time to establish the truth.
you can easily understand" said
this gentleman, in talking of the pro-
posed trust. "why the millers will not
admit that such a corporation is being
formed. The American people are
growing more and more opposed to
trusts and syndicates of all kinds, espe-
cially those which have anything to do
with the food markets. The antitrust
laws of the government and of the
states are proofs of this prejudice. For
that reason millers are not shouting
from the housetops that they intend to
form a trust to control the flour market,
so far as it can be controlled by North
western millerS.
"This contemplated trust will include
the Minneapolis mills, without doubt.
The negotiations have gone so far that
these mills here will be in it unless the
whole deal fall through. It is expected
that the Milwaukee mills will be in it
too. So with the Duluth mills. Some
doubt as to the Duluth mills, more than
in the case Of the others, exists, how
ever. Duluth is but just growing as a
milling point. Ths millers up there af-
feet to believe that they enjoy excep-
tional advantages for making and ship
ping flour on account OF their nearness
to the great wheat fields of the present
and the future and on account OF their
water transportation facilities. Ihey
may be brought into the combination.
Ii they be not included, the Whole deal
will probably fall through.
1.-THE expected passage Of the anti
option bill has something to 90 with
this proposed combination of millers.
The antl-optiOn bill will give the buyers
of actual wheat an advantage over those
now enjoyed, in tha6 the market Will
not be affected by The speculation TX
wheat or margins. The millers, VINO
use the wheat, will then be the heaviest
traders in the article. a strong coMol-
nation Of wealthy Northwestern mlllers
will be able 30 almost control the wheat
market at ali times. Il they control the
wheat market, they will have q big az
vantage over the Eastern niilers N the
flour market. With the wheat market
in their OVID hands and the Northwest
ern -four production, too, they will be IL
position 20 make money from ooth
ends of tire line"
~ might add" this gentleman went
or, "tha5 when this combination Is
formed il Will probably not be caiEcG
trust Or a sy Indicate, or anything OF Snat
kind. Tho public will never hear II
spoken Of aathoritatiVely az such. II
the fact that such a combination really
has been formed becomes public prop
erty, the public will probably be thrown
Off the track by statement that an En-
glish syndicate has purchased such and
such mills as an investment.
at may never have occurred to you,
but that term 'ElGliSl syndicate is a
convenient one. 10 you know, do not
believe o1e-teEth part of What l nave
read about English syndic4tCS buying
this, that and ihe other big property.
We have sill read, in the past fys OF six
years, of breWeries. -four mills, elevator
lines. ETC., having been sold to English
syndicates. 1 think such talk has al
been a bluff to cover Up com
binatiOns, OF trusts, forme! rls:hl
in this country, but manipulated
from London that tho suspicion OF
trust might not attach to the TRANSACTION
The suspicious of tho public are Sooth1c
by talk of the wonders to be accom-
pIished in given section or city by {
large influx of English capital. The
suspicious part Of such alleged transac
tions is this: The prices paid for these
properties transferred TO English syndi-
Gates have, according 10 reports, beeI
I'D among the millions. What have tht
sellers done with the millions TAey have
received from English syndicates?
challenge any one TO show where thos'
millions have been reinYested. An(
American business men, who are capa
bic of building up a property WORT
millions, do not allow the millions re
ceived for such property TO lie idle in
savings bank"
It will be interesting to watch fo- indi
cations of the formation OF this big com
blnation OF f1onr mi.leTs here preGiste(