The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-07
WHEAT BUYERS, MILLERS AND
GROWERS PLANNING FOR AN
ORGANIZATION
Believe II Would Do Away With the
Cornering Of the Grain Market
by the Operators

The wheat and other grain crops
have become SO great in the Pacific
Northwest and the method of making
a market price for it SO poor, that the
grain men and millers over the whole
state of Washington are said to be
clamoring for a board of trade, and
they seem to be unanimous in the opin-
ion that Tacoma is the proper place
for such an institution.
The project has already taken def
mite shape, and the papers of incor-
poration and bylaws have been drawn
The completion of the object in view
will take place as soon as a required
number of members have been secured.
The smallest number, which the men
organizing the enterprise think it nee
essary to start with, is estimated at so.
Practical assurance Of membership has
been received from about ten grain
men in Tacoma, and about the same
uuHDeI VI UdllhcIS Cali NC Couuteu
upon. The millers in Seattle are en-
thusiastic over the project and have
given strong assurance that it least
ten members can be, secured in that
city to join as soon as plans are COM
pleted. One Seattle miller offered to
pay $1,000 for his membership if such
a sum would be needed. The organ
izers, however, believe that their OBJ
ject can be accomplished, and at the
same time keep the fee down to a NOM
inal figure. The grain men east of the
mountains have received the PROPOSE
ton with much enthusiasm and are
eager to do all they can to further the
movement. One man, who raises all
the way form $4,000 to 100000 bushels
of wheat each year, promises to secure
Is members among the growers.
A conference was held in Spokane
last week, by special appointment, be-
tween Tacoma grain men, representa-
tives from the Spokane grain men, and
growers from east of the mountains.
John T. Bibb, general manager of the
Tacoma Grain company, is one of the
leading spirits in securing the board
for Tacoma, and was present at the
Spokane conference. Mr.. Bibb says:
We'll, it looks pretty good now, and
our success seems to be assured. The
northwest has needed a board of trade
for years, and it looks as if Tacoma
would get it. Tacoma is the natural
city for board of trade, for a large
part of the wheat goes there for stor-
age or shipment. Tacoma is the wheat
market of the northwest, and that is
where the board of trade should be.
This thing of the grain men and the
millers of the northwest, who grow
and handle millions of bushels of
wheat each year. being subject - the
mercies Of the Chicago board of trade,
has come to such point that they are
unwilling to submit to it any longer.
Take a miller, for instance, who re-
ceives cable for 10000 barrels Of flour
requiring, by the way, $4,000 bushels
of wheat in the making; before he
can get his reply telegraphed back,
the price may have advanced cents,
and the miller is swept off his feet.
Such things have happened and are Ii
able to happen at any time, owing to
the fact that the Chicago board of
trade is nothing more or less than a
place for wealthy men to gamble, and
is not true market. The Liverpool
market has ceased to recognize the
Chicago board Of trade as a dominat-