The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1903-09-30
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. /

ways Oc lOuLo COlutulSSiOu uICu.
The latter are the connecting link
between seller and buyer, and they
have come to be recognized as in
dispensable cogs on the wheels of
commerce. Some people have goods
TO sell but they know not how nor
where nor to whom to sell them.
Others wish to buy but do not know
where to find, nor where to buy,
them. The commission man stands
between these two classes. It is
his business to find people who
have things to sell, then find men
who want to buy those things. For
his services he receives a certain
percentage of the price paid. The
commission man, if he be success
full, must be, and usually is, bright.
active and tireless. He must un-
derstand the nature and value of
the thing he essays to sell, and he
must be able to read countenances
as he would read print.
AS Minneapolis is the largest
primary wheat market in the world
there are naturally many men there
whose business is buying and
selling grain, flour and feed stuffs
on commission. There are about
200 firms in or about the Chamber
of Commerce. Allowing two men,
bers to frm-a fair average-this
would make four hundred regularly
licensed commission men. Add
their stenographers and other Office
employees aud it would make from
1000 to $500 people who live on the
commissions received for buying
and selling grain.
The commission man is every
where present. He is practically
ubiquitous, and during his business
hours there is no wider-awake
character than he. els diplomatic,
affable, loquacious, entertaining, and
he is never accused by friend or
enemy of not knowing his business.
1t is reported that some time in
the dim and distant past one of
them was worsted in an argument
by man of another calling; but the
report is not we'll authenticated and
is almost universally discredited.
His favorite literature is the market
reports and crop prospectuses,
though he will read the headlines
of such other news as he thinks
may have possible bearing on the
grain market.
Commission men are looked upon
by some as a sort of necessary evil
whose presence is tolerated rather
than welcomed. But this view, so
far as grain commission men are
concerned, is an unjust one. AS
matter of fact no one profession or
vocation embraces all the saints or
all the sinners; and the commission
man is, in the abstract, precisely
like other men-nO better, no worse.
But were he inclined to be dis
honest or fraudulent he could not
carry out his inclination, for the
slightest attempt in that direction
would not only injure his patronage
but cause his expulsion from the
Chamber OF Commerce, and no one
can do commission business with
out belonging to this body. The
very competition Of the commission
business compels those engaged !
it to deal generously with, and
guard the interests of, their clients.
They watch with cat-like vigilance
the inspection and weighing of every
car of grain consigned to them, and
put up a formidable fight if they
think their clients are receiving
unfair treatment from any souce.
The strongest bluffs ever encount-
cred by the state inspection and
weighing departments are the ones
made by the commission men in the
interest of their clients. They know
thing or two about grades them
selves, and they 60 to the appeal
board with every car which, in
their opinion, has not received as
high grade as its0quality entitled
it to. They thoroughly understand
every phase of the situation. what
to do and how to do it, and they can
and do look after the interests of
tho cbippar muoh hotfar than ba