The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-25
MIR. PILLSBURY GIVES A DINNER
TO CELEBRATE THE ADVENT
OF DOLLAR WHEAT,
BIG BULLS AT A BANQUET.
EST COMPLICATIONS OF THE
YEAR.
Expresses Pleasure That the Rise
Came Before the Farmer Had
Sold Much Wheat.

Charles A. PillSbury entertained an
even hundred of his friends, the millers
and grain men of Minneapolis, at Dol
lar Wheat banquet at the Minneapolis
club last evening. The menu card call
ed it Complimentary Dinner to Cele-
brate the Arrival of Dollar Wheat"
Mr.. Pillsbury has given other dinners
upon similar occasions, but none which
excelled this as a function of jollifica-
ton. Not alone the horny handed
farmer, whose yellow harvest pays the
last vestige Of the mortgage and leaves
him a nice bank account besides, but
the elevator man, the grain commission
merchant, the miller, the railroader,
the vessel owner. and every collateral
industry rejoiced at the arrival of dol
lar wheat. Each has his own peculiar
manner of showing his gratitude. Mr..
Pillsbury takes his out in inviting his
friends to join with him in good time
while they all live, for they will be a
long time dead.
Every gentleman was bull last even
ing; it were a social crime to have been
else. Dollar wheat" was the one topic
discussed, and every one of the toasts
was attuned to this favorite chord.
The Minneapolis club is an ideal in
stitution for just such a function, and
this was never more aptly demonstrate
ed than last evening. The main dining
room on the first floor was set with one
magnificent banquet board in the shape
of letter e. The room had been eff
fectively trimmed with a rich profusion
of palms, which all but hid the heroic
mantle at one end of the room and
stood out in a beautiful bank against
the opposite wall The tables were
adorned with eleven great punches of
roses and set off with smilax. and hang
ing in rich profusion over the guests
and tables were festoons of smilax. By
an ingenious arrangement small cleo
trio lights had been hidden among the
shrubbery and flowers, and the effect
in the subdued light was all that can
be imagined
The piece de resistance in the decora-
tons was a motto which hung over
the mantle, a great mass of beautiful
flowers bidding welcome to Ye Who
Feed the World" Mr.. Pillsbury said:
some weeks ago predicted to several of nv
irlenos That wheat would reach 81 bushel
before the new crop was fit to grind; and
promised that | would set them up a dinner
IN case 1t did 1t gives me pleasure to well
come you all here this evening. that we NAV
rejoice with each other over the suspicious
event. My chief regret at the present moment
is that, owing to the limitations of this club
was unable to invite ali the members OF
our chamber, and even their wives and
sWeethearts. But l was. compelled to curtail
my invitations to the capacity of this room. I
have long been a Deliver that we could have
no genuine prosperity in this country-and
especially In this part of t-unless the farm
ers were literally rewarded for the fruit of
their industry AS a miller, l have never
rallied to make money when wheat was around
81 a bushel, and | have never succeeded in
making any money when wheat was around
90 to 60 cents a bushel People NAV have
their theories about the tariff-about god or
silver or other circulating mediums But
my man theory Is that the prosperity of the
agricuiturists is the basis and foundation of
all true prosperity. Give the farmers good
liberal prices for their productions and Their
purchasing power Will be so increased that the
increased demand for all merchandise and
manufactured goods will bring prosperity to
through them to the laboring man The
$40, Co., 600 or $50, co., 600 extra which we ex-
pect the farmers of these three states to
obtain for their wheat crop will be repre-
sented not only by the $40 900 900 or $50 600 600
extra which they will pay out; but the money
will be used over and over again. There are
many manufacturers and business men who
are always looking to Wall street for evi-
dences. of prosperity; many who have not
known OF the actual condition of the farmer
Ihey VIII always look in vain if they expect
that direction. Let them look to the agri-
cultural and laboring communities. If pros
perity and contentment reign there then it
must certainly bring prosperity to the capi-
talist and manufacturer. I do not wish to
bring partisan politics into a meeting like
this but have this to say: Whether a man
believes in protection or free trade: If there
is to be protective tariff we in the North
west want our full share of protectionl Now
this tariff bill just passed protects the inter
ests of the agricultural communities (as com
pared with the protection given in other di-
rections) more than any tariff law ever placed
our statute books. Almost for the first
time has the Northwest been able to calm
and enforce its demands for its full pro
portion of the favors to be allotted by the
bill
But 1 am taking too much of your time. I
am particularly glad that the advance in
wheat has come at the present time for sew
eral reasons: First it has come before the
farmers have parted with any considerable.
portion of their wheat and. consequently,
they will obtain nearly the full benefit of th.,
advance.
Second-It has been conspicuous though