The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-27
MILLERS ASK FOR
NEW FLOUR RATE
Minneapolis Men Want a Chance
to Compete in Foreign
Markets.

New York, July 27.-President
F1arriott of the New York grain COM
mission presided today over a meeting
or traffic managers of the eastern
transit lines, at which the claims of
the northwestern millers were pre-
sented for such export rates on flour
as snail place them in position to
compete with flour manufactured
abroad from American wheat
The mtllers want export rates on
flour reduced in proportion to those
on American wheat. The millers ar
sguments We're taken under advisement
and will be considered at a meeting
of the trunk line officials to be held
In this city some time in August
majority of the traffic men pres
ent today saw the justice of the mill
ers claims and were inclined to en-
courage a belief that favorable action
would be taken by the transit line
officials.
The only representative Of Mime
Bovey Of the Washburn-Crosby COM
pany. The case presented by the
millers was substantially as follows:
The milling business is the third larg-
est Industry of the United States, and as
such employs very large amount of labor
at good wages, both directly and indi-
rectly.
The discrimination this last spring,
whereby wheat was brought from Buffalo
to New York for export for two tenths of
a cent per bushel of sixty-two pounds.
whereas railroad companies continued
charging 91s cents per 100 pounds on flour,
is nothing less than penalty. That Is.
manufacturers of wheat are forced to nav
railroad companies for the privilege of en-
ploying American labor and paying United
States taxes.
Milling In London.
Today there is milling plant being
completed in London by British millers
with a capitalization of 2,5OO, 900, and this
British miller boasts that the only reason
he is building the plant is the fact that
the railroad companies Of the United
States, by transporting wheat for export
so much cheaper than flour, enables him
to get his wheat much cheaper than the
American miller land his flour in Lon
don. and thereby compete with American
made flour to the detriment of the Ameri-
can laborer, farmer and miller.
| If we could grind all the wheat in
this country that we raise instead of hay
Ing 1t exported In it's raw state, we could
give employment to great many more
men. Our farmers would be able to buy
bran and other feeding stuffs for their
cattle at much less cost, and therefore
be able to produce a greater volume of
milk and beef which would necessarily,
by competition, make it much cheaper for
the workingman.
AS it is now, railroads, by transporting
raw material, are making it possible for
the foreign farmer to get CHEAP bran
and thereby enable the British workman
to get cheaper food than we can obtain
In this country.
To prove that the milling business of
the United States is Of benefit to the farm
er, we only have to point out the fact
that American wheat is worth today from
n re- c1a tI,o
any other wheat. This is due to the COM
petition of the American miller
II We had no milling plants in this
country we would be in the same position
as the Argentine republic, Canada and
Australia. These countries being purely
agricultural countries have to export
most of Their wheat in its raw state; be-
cause, they have no competition at home
Consequently that wheat is sold in foreign
markets at from 20 cents to % cents a
bushel less than American wheat.
With our splendid system of milling and
the progress and energy displayed by the
m1llers, we can compete with this differ
entail from other countries, providing the
railroad companies of the United States
give us an equal show and do not trans
Rors AeEcan Meat At less price than
Railroads Fighting.
But with the railroads fighting against
the American laborer as well as the
cheapness Of wheat from other countries
we are fast losing our hold on foreign
markets as regards our flour
If this condition is continued the mill
ing business Of the United States must de-
cline and wheat be exported in it's raw
state, and consequently the laboring man
will lose his employment the farmer Will
lose his bran and will be forced to pay for
such feeding stuffs a still higher price
than he does today, thereby raising the
price Of meats, and-more important still
the price Of milk, which is of such in
estimable value to our coming generation.
Surely, in view Of the fact that the
manufacturing industry has largely built
up the railroads of the United States, the
railroads as body should endeayor to
support American industries.
| If 1t were not for our manufacturing in
dustries the farmers Of the United States
would not be able to get anything like
the price they obtain today for their
| goods. Consequently the country could
not maintain anything like the amount of
prosperity it now has, and necessarily the
| moment prosperity begins to decrease, the
workman Is the chief sufferer, and rail-
road companies, by their present discrimi-
nation, and penalization are fast killing off
one of the greatest industries we have in
| this country.
| CHIT DREN IR6ND0NEn