The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-17
BETTER OUTLOOK
FOR THE MILLERS
IMPORTATION OF WHEAT WILL
BE MADE EASIER.
Treasury Department. Attitude To
ward Problem Which Has Come Into
National Importance Promises Well
Milling Interests Uniting for the
Fight-How It Was Started.

Practical assurance has been given by
the treasury department., to the Mime
apolis millers, that, on wheat brought
in from Canada on which 25c a bushel
duty is paid, the drawback will be OBJ
t Gaass ., n h Sss than o 1E a ah2s fEe% o
-four and exported On this basis the
PillsburyW ashburn company will begin
the importation and grinding of Cana
dian wheat, the difficulty of the tying
up of an immense sum Of money for d
a long time, having been overcome in
good part.
One of the liveliest commercial ques-
tions of the day is this matter of i'm
not not Tor for the tariff, " Canadian Wheat
would come into Minneapolis in great
quantity. To get this fine wheat and
bushel import duty, is a problem that
has taxed the ingenuity Of the bright
est men in the trade. The treasury de-
partment has shown determination to
help the millers in every possible man
ner, and it now looks as if the last
much Canadian wheat will be ground
here this season.
Started by Minneapolitans.
TO three Minneapolis men, John
Washburn, William II. Dunwoody and
James S. Bell, belongs credit for start
ing the movement. These gentlemen
bonded a mill Of the Washburn Crosby
group in 1902, and brought into Mime
apolis close to two million bushels of
Canadian wheat. The product was all
exported. The by-products had to be
sold abroad, bran, shorts and other
offal and here was the rub If the
company sold this residuum abroad
losses of So to So a ton were made in
some instances. If it was sold at home
duty had to be paid on it. The COM
pany came out Of the experiment with
a profit, but it was clear that the red
tape entanglements were greatly
against the plan of milling in bond.
The next year nothing was done, as
conditions did not favor it, but this
season the heavy crop losses have
stirred the trade from end to end, sent
wheat prices up to a level 40 cents
above last year, and made the matter
of importation of wheat one Of more
general interest. Today four companies
are in the field, the Washburn-Crosby
and Pillsbury- Washburn companies of
Minneapolis, the Hecker-J Jewell
mpany-proposing to bond mill on
Staten Island, New York-and the Dun.
lop Flour Mills company Of Richmond
Va.
The matter is no longer Minneapo
ing the entire milling industry of the
United States, hence the millers fed
Grafton has given it more attention, ant
Herbert Bradley, secretary Of the fed
, Grafton, is working for cooperation Of
/ all milling interests for success.
Means of Relief.
Three avenues for relief are opened W
: by the bill Of Congressman Stevens Of
st. Paul, the bill of Congressman Low
ering of Massachusetts,, and the growing
disposition on the part Of the treasury
| department to use the discretionary
power appertaining to the secretary'
| office, to the greatest possible extent
Eugene Hay Of the New York board Of
: appraisers, recently gave it as hi
opinion that no ruling could be made
ances incident to the business of milling
foreign wheat. That some measure o:
relief may in this way be. obtained
however, is proved by the recent con
ference between J. T. Perkins ant
Henry L. Little Of the Pillsbury: Wash
burn company, L. B. Kemp Of the de
partment, and Robert B. Armstrong, as
sistant secretary of the treasury, fol
lowed by the announcement that thu
Pillsbury- Washburn company will no
bond the Palisade mill and Union ele
vator as originally planned, but will, in
stead, import the wheat and pay the 25
cent a. bushel duty, and collect tn
drawback.
The Two Bills.
The Stevens bill, in brief outline, pro
| vides that the by-products of foreigl
. wheat milled in bond may be sold TO
, domestic consumption upon payment o
, duty equal to that paid on bran Q
other offal imported, which would be 2
: per cent ad valorem, or Wuch less tina
} the proportionate payment at the rat
, of 25 cents a bushel on the wheat,
The Lowering bill, in operation
would enable miller to grind mix
ture of American and Canadian whea
would do away with the necessity fo
Identification Of particular product, an
+ entitle the miller to drawback of 9
per cent upon certifcation as to amour
! of Canadian wheat so used. One, IN
u portant objection to this plan has bee
, that in case the milling of foreig
. wheat were carried on in a large wa,
= much capital would be tied up, but tn
. recent departmental announcement thu
= every effort will be made to aid tn
millers and that the drawback will com
: to hand without long delay, makes tt
- outlook much more promising.
g 3~oo,