The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-15
Otherwise the Proposed British Tax
May Seriously Affect the
Flour Industry.
Equalization Of Export Flour and
Wheat Rates Might Overcome
the Handicap.

& American railroads must make the next
move if the immense trade Of American
flour mills in England is not to be swept
from the boards. 1t is up to the railroads
to demonstrate the frequently repeated
argument that the railroads can be trusted
to guard the commercial interests Of the
country which they traverse, and from
which they draw traffic.
Minneapolis millers are convinced that
against flour as proposed in the govern
ment.s tax budget introduced in the Eng
lish house of commons yesterdaywill work
much damage to the American flour trade
in the United Kingdom unless the Ameri-
can railroads give export flour the same
rate as wheat.
| Best Market Menaced.
| The United Kingdom is the best foreign
customer for Minneapolis flour The local
millers have battled for supremacy in that
market against, adverse conditions in
rates at home, and with fair success. But
gradually the policy Of the American roads
! Of making a lower rate on export wheat
instead of flour has increased the capacity
and trade Of the mills in the United King
! dom unit their competitions has become a
j serious question. Since the first of the
year the export trade of the local mills
has been unsatisfactory because of the
low rate given export wheat. The differ
ence in the duty on wheat and flour pro-
| posed in the budget introduced in the
house of commons amounts to an addi-
tional discrimination of seven cents a
/ barrel against -four.
! j. S. Bells Analysis.
\ James S. Bell, president of the Wash
! burn-C Grossly company, says:
! The duty proposed in the budget introduced
4 in the English house of commons simply
means an additional discrimination of cents
per barrel against -four on top of the dis
elimination against -four by the American
j railroads. Through their policy of carrying
export wheat at much lower rate than ex-
port -four the American roads have aided
in building up the milling industry at Liver
pool This policy enables the English miller
to secure the raw material at a price by
which he can successfully compete with the
American mills situated at the very center
of wheat production. The Minneapolis mil
ers have persistenty fought for fairer treat
ment from the railroads for export flour az
, compared with export wheat. Convincing
arguments have been presented and a shor
time ago we thought we had been success
, full, but the roads went back to the old rate
basis Gradually the grip Of the American
miller on export trade has been loosened ant
this action by the English government viii
greatly increase the disadvantages of Ameri
can -four seeking a market in the Unitet
Kingdom. If the milling industry at Mime
apolis is to be maintained or increased we
must have a good share of the export trade
To get it we must have a rate on expor
flour to the seaboard about the same a
the rate on export wheat. The railroads cal
make or Funmake this big industry. This i
question of great Importance to the Who'll
s country as -four is one of our largest ex
! ports. It is of immense Importance to Mime
apolis and the northwest as flour manufac
turing is our big industry. The flour mill