The labor world., 1899-10-28

The Grindeland commission law,
which was enacted by the Legislature
last winter, has been declared consti-
tutional by the supreme court of the
state. The decision is handed down
by Justice Collins in the Redpath case,
involving the dealers in produce, and
the Mohler case, involving the grain
commission men. The suits were
brought to test the validity of the law:
The Grindeland bill, when it was be-
fore the legislature last winter, was
fought with much earnestness, especi-
ally by the produce commission men.
The grain men of the state were equal
ly anxious ito see the bill defeated, but
they were not as vigorous in their op-
position. The supreme court has passed
ON all of the points except as to
whether the law is in violation of the
fourth or fifth amendments to the fed
eral constitution.
The Duluth produce men are very
much interested in defeating the op~
GRAFTON of the Grindeland law, if possi-
BILE, and they were active yesterday IN
discussing the best course to pursue.
A special meeting of the Duluth Pro-
duce Exchange was called by Pres1-
dent e. NJ. Ferguson and he announced
that a request had come from the COM
mission men of St. Paul for the Duluth
exchange to send representatives to a
meeting Of the produce exchange OF the
state at st. Paul last night. The OBJ
ject of the meeting to be held at st.
Paul was to determine what line OF
action to take since the supreme court
has upheld the Grindeaand law.
The Duluth commission men are all
in favor, it is said, of carrying the case
to the United States supreme court.
The Duluth grain commission men have
taken no action as yet, but a number
OF them yesterday expressed them
selves as heartily in favor of carrying
the case to the United States supreme
court C. E. PeaJsly, of the Victor com>
pany, Of Duluth, represented the COM
mission men of this city at the St. Paul
conference last night. Speaking of the
decision of the supreme court prom
inent Duluth commission man said
yesterday:
1--WE will either carry the case to the
supreme court, or unite to refuse con-
signments of produce from the country,
with view of retahating ON country
shippers. The Objectionable features
of the law are that we are compelled
to furnish bonds for the faithful per-
formance of our business dealings and
to protect people that send us goods
why they should give bonds for their
protection. The commission men will
gladly cooperate with the country
shippers to weed out the undesirable
and irresponsible commission men, but
we cannot do it under the Grindeland
law, which almost prohibits the carry
ing on of commission business.
"Another Objectionable feature of the
lew is that every commission mans
business is subject to scrutiny. Any
shipper may send in some produce, and
then, if he has some object in doing SO,
can make "a complaint and have our
books examined. The Grindelamd law
simply takes our own business out OF
our hands and gives us no protection
whatever. Hardships are imposed on
us to protect the country shippers. We
are given no redress whatever in the
event that country shipper gives us
the worst of it; and many of them are
not so honest but what they will take
advantage up to a point where they
think we will not bring suit. To make
the commission men comply with the
Grindeland law will impose an addi-
tional expense to conducting the busi-
ness of fully per cent. 1t ought to
be sufficient to demand that the ware
house commission issue licenses to
commission firms. that the financial
standing of the various houses be as-
certained every six months, and that
each house furnish high-class refer
enceS."
The court, in it's decision in the case
relating to the produce commission
business, after declaring the Grinde-
land law constitutional, says:
"The peculiar characteristics of ag-
ricultural products and farm products
and the liability to peculiar abuses re-
sulting from sale thereof on commits
sion, are such as to suggest the practl~
cal necessity for distinctive legislation
on the subject different from what
would be expedient or necessary in the
case of other property sold on commits
sion, and to justify THE legislature, in
n1rtf-iror those who sell