The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-22
Grain Dealers Journal Not For
the Public.
Cautions Subscribers to Keep 1t
Hidden From Outsiders.
THE REASON FOR TT.
Paper Shows Grain Organiza-
tiOn is Trust.
Minutes of the Recent Secret
State Meeting in Topeka.

The current issue of the Grain Dealers
Journal, published at Chicago, the organ
Of the various state grain trusts Of the
recent meeting Of the Kansas State Grain
Dealers association. ont of which news
papers reporters We're barred
IN fact. no newspaper reporter has been
allowed inside a meeting of the grain deal
ers since the meeting N 1888. That year
reporter published an account Of the
rules established to compel competing
members to form pools, and the re-
quest made to the railroads to adopt
rules Which would shut out scoop
shovel men, and also prevent farm
then the meetings Of the srain ain dealers lsrs
nave not been open to the public.
supposed to be read by the public 1t is
only for those who are in sympathy with
the gram dealers organizations. Nearly
every issue contains matter which shows
that the state organizations are generally
In restraint Of trade. and the current issue
contains the following editorial;
a subscriber complains that he occa-
slonally finds the Grain Dealers Journal
laying out SO that those who are not en-
titled to receive it may have access to it.
IN sending out copies we exercise great
care IN connning its circulation to the reg
ular grain dealers of the country and We
nave frequently warned our subscribers
that its contents were intended Simply for
hope that recipients win be more careful
in keeping the journal for those identified
with the trade
The paper publishes a number Of the ad-
dresses delivered at the recent meeting at
"A Members Duty to His Association by
d. Hunter. president Of the Grain Dealers
union of southwest Iowa and northwest
Missouri. In it he said:
When you are advised by your secre-
tary that certain firms in terminal markets
are soliciting business from irregular deal
srs. 1t becomes your duty at once, a
loyal member, absolutely to withhold all
business from sueh firms until such time
as they regard the interest and welfare
of the regular dealer"
This means that if q Kansas City COM
MISSION hrm dares to buy grain that
farmer. has shipped direct. that the firm is
to be boycotted by every member Of the
grain dealers association.
In an address on What Associations
Have Done for the Grain Trade George
A. Stibbens. secretary of the National
Gram Dealers association, said
After six years of education along these
lines the commission firm or track bidder
who is disposed to cater to the scoop shovel
element or farmers elevator concerns is
We still have in existence in nearly ali
markets. one or two firms who solicit bust
grain trade and | desire to state that their
business is steadily decreasing. It is only
a question of short time until they will
cease to exist as commission firms because
they cannot make a living out OF the bust
ness Lney receive Wnen you come IN con-
tact win commission firms OF this class
they tell you they are legally bound to re-
cetve eonsignments Of grain from any per
son OF persons, but af they would take the
trouble to investigate the matter, any
reputable attorney will disabuse their
minds OF that heresys, as no firm is legally
compelled by law, to receive d consign-
ment of grain from any one. The receiver
or track bidder who is not willing to recOg-
nize the principles of association work to-
day, should be so thoroughly advertised by
the various organizations that he would
soon seek another livelihood.
4 presume no organization has ever been
prosecuted as you have in Kansas. You
have been prosecuted by the disreputable
element among the receivers and poll
ticians. You have been prosecuted by an
element in the state of Kansas that exists
to some extent in every state. but not so
much so as in this state, and this very ele-
ment is opposed to good government. good
morals and good business methods. If ever
an organizatio was entitled to the loyal
support of its members it certainly is the
Kansas Gram Dealers ASSOCIATION. The
element now fighting you seeks to disrupt
and demoralize your Organization to such
a degree that YOU VIII finally abandon it.
This persecution of yours in this state has
largely been brought about by man
who clearly understands that We're he de-
throned, he would be forced to seek an
other vocation.
THE time has come which behooves each
member of the Kansas Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION to give both his moral and finan-
cial support, for few of you realize the
condition your business would be in should
you abandon your organization. presume
no Individual member of this organization
has contributed to its support from the be-
ginning more than 80 10 SlUo. ana 1 ask
you, in all candOr, have you not received
in return $50 for every dollar you have con-
tributed to the support of this organiEa-
ton? This is purely a business PROPOSE
ton with the country dealers and they can
no more AFFORD TO let your Organization die
than they can afford to set IRE to their
elevators. Discontinue the organizations
of TO-DAY ana your business. VIII pc ruined
your elevators will depreciate in value
your stations will be infested with two or
three scalpers and you will virtually be
out of business. Country dealers can not
possibly secure fair margin OF profit
without the assistance of the grain organ
izations. for there are certain class of
people that would be continually welding
the SCOOP shovel trade were it not for the
influence brought to bear on them by the
different associations, and there are COM
mission firms in every market that would
10
We're it not for the fact that they would
be brought into disrepute with the legiti-
advertising they would receive by the diff
ferent associa tons there are number of
trade today. Each state secretary should
furnish the names Of all commission firms
who handle scoop shovel shipments to all
other secretaries in order that complete
list of scoop shovel receiving firms could
De golteH up sii1d lis'su sslsslssiS 70 tli
entire trade 1t has been the habit or each
state secretary to notify the commission
people in the markets tributary TO his ter
and every secretary should know the
names of firms in all markets who solicit
way we could furnish the trade with a
complete list and help each other.
Every regular grain dealer IN the state
of Kansas should realize more thoroughly
the necessity of supporting the organiza-
ton account of the popunstic move
rnent now on foot to organize farmer ele-
vator concerns throughout your state II
you relax your efforts in behalf of your
Organization these concerns viii gain a
fOothold and new concerns win be started
up all over the state. You already have
enough of these farmer concerns to know
what you have to deal with and it is to
your own interest to support Loyalty your
organizatiOn
Secretary Smiley's report is published in
full and the greater part of It Is devoted
to the farmers elevator movement In
beginning he says
fAn thought that when we had practi-
cally eliminated the short weight evil at
terminal markets our troubles were over,
but developments tha past year show that
we were Tnista ken, as we have been put to
the expense of defending suits brought
against us in two different counties in the
state"
Further on Mr.. Smiley says:
We do not question the right OF the
farmers to build elevators or warehouses
/ for the purpose of handling grain. but be-
iieve that 80 per cent Of the farmers now
/ having stock in these cooperative assoela-
+ tons viii soon realize that they have been
I imposed upon and the statements E13de tC
/ them as 10 net profits in the handllng OF
grain were false In fact the Solomon
| SHINING assoclation has lately refused &C