St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-31
AGENTS OF ELEVATOR COMPANIES
Do THE BIDDING OF THE
COMBINE.
WHEAT BiRONS ARE MASTERS.
AND so FAR HAVE SUCCEEDED II
FREEZING OUT INDEPEND-
ENT HOUSES
EFFORTS At RELIEF.
business Men Compel Partial Rec
osnition of the Rights OF the
Farmer.
SnecIal 10 the Globe.

Special TO the Globe.
ARGYLE, MINI, Jan. 30.-The peo-
pie OF Argyle and the surrounding
country have ample cause for COM
plant against the wheat tarons. So
far the masters OF the grain market
have succeeded. IN one way and an
other, in keeping out independent
houses. They have had it all their own
way, except for track shipping dur
ing the past few years, and they have
made the most Of It, This year, how
ever, they encountered for the first
time the united opposition Of the bust
ness men to some of their methods and
the result will be increased track ship
ments IL the future, and, probably, the
installation Of an Independent house
and independent buyers.
The business men were not at all
alarmed by the threats of the elevator
people that they would branch out and
engage in other business If the mer-
chants did not desist from their eff
forts to assist the farmer to get some
thing near the market price for his
grain. As had been the case at War
rem the lords IF the granares demand
eG that every one should stand aside
while they held the farmer up and COM
PEELED him 10 pay them tribute. They
try to make it appear that they, the
wheat barcns. are the only ones who
have d right to ship the wheat or to
deal In it. An Independent buyer with
warehouse must be crushed unless
he will conduct his business along and
within the lines laid down by them.
If he chances to be a track buyer, one
who holds and ships grain without
passing ii through an elevator he is,
according to the wheat barons, a scoun-
drel who should be driven from the
face Of the earth.
BUSINESS MEN WON,
and are deserving of great credit for
! the stand they took and for holding
/ their ground. The first meeting of the
! business men was held on Nov. g. after
the individual efforts of II. L. Mel
! gard and others had proved partially
successful F. D. Keye was elected
temporary chairman, and d. Robert
son secretary. The situation was dis
cussed at length and Senator j. O.
Cronkhite, G. O. Sutherland. II. l.. Mel
gard. John Dalin and Fred Tendt Sr
We're among those who addressed the
meeting, all favoring organization. c..
O. Sutherland, Fl: l.. Melgaard and D.
Robertson were appointed q commit
tee to prepare a constitution and by
laws, which were adopted at the next
meeting on Nov. 80. At that time
the orgariZat ton of the business mems
union was perfected, with II. L. Mel
gard as president; ]. NJ. Ryan. vice
president; ID. RCbertI,3 secretary, and
G. O. Sutherland treaEES tx The uuiou
bought shcvels. SCOOPS, brooms, ham
mers, nails and whatever else was
needed ty the farmers TO aid them in
loading their wheat directly into the
cars. The members of the union, indi-
viGually and collectively, encouraged,
aided and abetted the farmers in Sc
curing cars and in loading and ship
ping them. They allowed them to store
their wheat in their warehouses, barns
and sheds until every available space in
the town was occupied. Then the farm
ers who hauled their grain were COM
PEELED to
PILE 1T, UNPROTECTED,
on the ground. They would level off
piece of ground and make a crib with
sacks filled with wheat, dumping the
wheat hauled afterwards into the space
within the wall of sacks There it
often lay for weeks without protec-
ton until finally, when the owner was
bile to secure a car, it was loaded
and forwarded to market.
1t IS estimated that there will be
marketed at Argyle from the crop Of
'95, a million and a half bushels OF
wheat. There are no Independent
houses here, consequently all the wheat
not shipped direct or sold to track
buyers must pay the toll OF the bar
ons. II is a very conservative estimate
to place the Joss Of the farmers. over
and above legitimate charges, at S25,-
coo. This would be a little more than
two cents busher on one million BUSH
els. 1t is generally conceded that they
will have handled tWo-thirds Of the
wheat reaching this market. The four
line houses have a combined capacity
of 100000 bushels, and a small house.
5000 bushels, handles only barley as II
is leased to the buyer for one of the
line companies.
The experience Of Senator Cronkhite
as buyer shows the methods employ
ed by the barons in compelling their
agents to take advantage of the farm
er in grades, weights and dockage He
Is bound to the company as firmly rs
was ever slave by chains of bondage.
In the beginning he signs a contract
which compels him to guarantee that
the wheat taken IN by him will hold
out In weight, grade and dockage when
it reaches the terminal market. To
ensure this result he is placed under
bond, company guaranteeing that
he will do all these things. Then he
buys some wheat giving the farmer
the proper grade, weight and dockage
When this wheat reaches the terminal
market his masters claim that his
grades and weights do not hold out
and he is instructed to attend to it that
they do, for 1t is so nominated in the
bond" He is given to understand that
continuation Of these conditions will
render him liable as an embezzler. In
vain he protests that he has only done
what was fair and just between the
elevator company and the producer.
The bonds are frightened by the mast
ers, and the servant accepts the only
alternative and takes 1t out OF the
farmer. The individual instances of
robbing may be only petit larceny, but
in the aggregate they represent