St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-20
JUSTICE FOR THE FARMER.

dent whom it has commissioned to in
vestigate the complaints Of the farm
ers Of the Northwest against the
present methods Of buying, grading
and handling grain. For years now
the country has rung with the protests
of those who declare that the fruits of
their toll are wrested from them by
the rapacity of practical monopoly
against which they are power1ess to
contend The companies that control
the grain elevators Of the Northwest
are, in every case where there is not
actual and effective competition, the
arbiters of the farmers fate. His
grain must be marketed, and the local
elevator is his only market. To it
his wheat must be taken. He must
accept it's grades, it's dockages, it's
prices. There lies, it is true, an appeal
to the state commission, but it Is a
far cry. With the best intentions, that
body cannot see that exact justice is
done to the thousands Of farmers
ing their produce to market, and who
must accept the offered terms or keep
their grain, generally with no facili-
ties for storing it, until weeks or
months have passed and a long con-
troversy is settled. The elevator COM
pany is in the position Of advantage,
the agents who represent it have the
fate Of the farmers in their hands.
The opportunity is great. How has it
been used? Has the farmer had JUS
tice?
Information enough has been laid be-
fore the G 0 b to convince it that
the earnest and almost universal re-
treatment that they have received are
not unfounded. It believes that this
question is Of the first Importance to
the people of the whole Northwest. If
it is true that the farmers grain is, in
many instances if not generally, grad
ed below it's actual market quality; if
it is true that there are arbitrary eX-
cessive and unjust dockages; if it is
true that prices are fixed by COM
bination which persistently offers for
grain less than it's true commercial
central markets Of the country; and if
the sum total of all these exactions
amounts to several cents on every
bushel, then we have lighted at once
upon one of the foulest wrongs ever
perpetrated upon helpless people, and
one that must be set right before we
can expect to see the reign of happi-
ness and prosperity.
The Globe has determined to in
quire into this subject for itself, and
to place it's columns and it's influence
sofa and the Dakotas. 1t is, the paper
of the people Their interest is it's in
terest. Their cause is it's cause. If
they have suffered and are suffering
from a frightful and iniquitous diver
sion Of their rightful earnings to the
pockets of others, then the Clio b e
will keep up the campaign until it
shall no more be possible for the strong
to lay greedy hand upon the fruits Of
the labor of the weak. We intend to
probe this matter to the bottom
Special representatives of this paper
one Of whom sends a striking letter
from Warren, published this morning,
will investigate the facts everywhere,
and the G / o b e will publish the facts
as they are found, together with any
and all information bearing upon the
question, without fear, favor or malice.
We say that if such a gigantic wrong
is being perpetrated, then all other
questions that have agitated the farm
ers of the Northwest are as nothing
when compared to it. What are in
spection laws. or questions Of financial
policy or freight rates or anything
else that may disturb the farmer when
set beside a leakage that means mil
lions of dollars to the producers of
Minnesota every year.
The farmer is entitled to an open
market. He is entitled to honest
weights. He is entitled to fair grades.
He is entitled to price for his wheat
equal to it's price in the central mar
kets less the cost Of transportation and
reasonable charge for handling. We
do not believe that he gets this. and
all the evidence at hand goes to show
that he does not Gigantic fortunes
have been amassed by those who
handle his produce; and the profits Of
the business point to something more
than q fair remuneration for capital
invested and services performed.
Therefore we say that the farmer
should have justice, and that there is
not and cannot be any question before
the people of Minnesota so important