The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-10-05

AAs &c \. - H U. D4HR A4&TMENT.
: -
TIE unsDestian a 1saaa Iapestigation
The Real "Nigger i'm the Wood
The farmers Of the Northwest have been
wrought up to high pitch of excitement
and indignation the past few weeks as the
result OF the manner in which their wheat
crop was being treated with reference to the
matter of grades
The crop of the present year which be-
gan to arrive at terminal points about Sept.
1. was being graded down one or more
grades than the farmers expected, and as
result very strong protest arose among
the farmers. Indignation meetings were
held in different portions Of the state and
much hostility and indignation was ex-
pressed against the state inspection de-
partment.
1t was openly charged that the inspection
department of the state was tn the pay OF
the large Zine elevators and millers and
was pushing down the grades 30 as to en-
nance the profits of the combine several
cents per bushel on each grade For in
stance. If No. northern was graded No.
1t meant cents per bushel loss to the
farmer, who would be robbed to this ex-
tent.
The matter reached a crisis when an in
vestigation was demanded by A. c. Clausen
chief inspector Of the grain inspection de-
partment. which was held at the Office Of
the state railroad and warehouse cominis-
sion. In st. Paul. last Wednesday at 10
o'clock.
large delegation was present as inter-
ested parties. c. A. Pillsbury represented
the miilers. while representatives Of nearly
all the Lime elevators in the Northwest
were present. A few farmers only We're on
hand. and those represented the bonanza
farmers Of the Red River valley" by such
men as s. A. Grandin. Of the Grandin
farm. while the small farmer was repre-
sented through the Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union. Those present represent
ing the farmers were: Ignatius Donnelly
p. H. Rahilly, Eric Olson and myself. The
commission treated every one with cour-
tesy and allowed the widest range of dis
cussion on the subject to be investigated
The general complaint from the millers
and elevator men was that the grades were
too high and the several samples were SUBJ
mitted by farmers as being graded too low.
Mr.. Pillsbury and nearly all the elevator
men stated that 1t was not low enough.
After the matter had been discussed by
nearly all present, the general sentiment
was that the state inspection was of little
or no benefit to the farmer, as grain should
be sold and, in fact. is sold on it's merits.
We then presented the grievance Of the
farmers, as officer Of the Farmers
alliance, upon the facts of the investigation
which l had made. l said: II had investi-
and found that the first shipment of the
wheat crop which had arrived at Minne-
apoliS was damp or wet and while pos
sessing all the other qualities which would
give it the same grade as in former years,
1t was necessary to grade it down ac-
count of its being wet or damp according to
the rule of the department this point
l found that the wheat was damp from be-
ing in the sweat or was just threshed
from the shock. and, as the weather early
in September was wet, this was the result
AS dry weather advanced and stack
threshing was resumed. and the wheat had
'SWeated out, the dampness disappeared
and the grades of former years was re-
sumed and great satisfaction was given on
grades to points where those complaints
were first registered at this Office. And we
stated further that would like some
lief from the unjust discrimination in the
price of No l and No. of four cents per
busheL and requested to have another
grade established between No. l and No.
that would equarize this four cents mar
GIN or to apply the rule which was in
stence in the department to always give
the benefit of the doubt to the farmer to
wheat that is the line between the two
grades by throwing 1t into the higher
grade. We also stated that we were getting
very satisfactory grades now, but were
anxious to know whether We would have
a continuation Of this service after the in
vestigation was over" This, in substance
by the representatives Of the alliance.
One of the specific charges which was
made was by farmer from Browns Valley,
who said that all the wheat marketed at
that point also Wi1mot, S. D., and SissetOn.
s. d.. all adjacent and competing points,
close together, was taken in by the Zine ele-
vators'' as No. 9 wheat, while formerly they
got No. l for the same quality
1 asked the question, WAS this condition
due from the terminal elevators reporting
to their agents at points that they were
grading too high and that they must grade
! lower at shipping points their grades
would not hold out?' was informed by sew
eral representatives Of the line elevators
| that mo reliable house would do such a
thing and they were quite indignant at
! having such question aimed at them. l
called for statement from Mr.. Clausen Of
the number of inspected and REIN
spected last year, and he gave me from his
printed reports follows: Inspected 212, 900
| cars; called for nsr0c'
| raised the inspection on $500 cars, sus-
| tanned the Inspection a~.~..-
| inspectors 1900 cars.
This shows about two per cent of the
entire work of the department called
| into question, and IS per cent of this was
made satisfactory, while Is per cent was
sustained, thus showing a liberal treat
lnent of the appeals taken to the chief in
spector.
! 1t is not my province to become the apol-
Ogist of the inspection department. [ am
| only interested in so far as the facts apply
| and to secure the relief from evils of which
| the farmers complain.
1t is my desire to boldly pull the
| mask off the face of the real "nigger in the
| woodpile," and have him stand before the
| people of the state the real swndler in
| this matter of grades on the farmers of
! Minnesota. While this investigation was on
! the commissioners sent a messenger to the
| railroads which carried the wheat from
| Browns Valley, Wimot and Sisseton, where
| the farmers stated that mot a bushel of
| wheat had been bought at those points
| for No. l during the month of September
| The railroad commission soon secured q
| list of the cars, their numbers, initials and
| dates, when shipped from those points and
then looked up the record in the Mime
4 apOlis office and found the following results:
| Browns Valley-Of SO cars shipped, so cars
| graded No. 1; two cars, No. 2; one car,
1 No. 3.
| Wilmot, S. DOT nine cars shipped eight
| cars graded No. and one car graded No. 2.
Sisseton. s. Dot 10 cars shipped nine cars
graded No. l and one car graded mo
u grade
This shows the real rObber who took from,