Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-28
READY FOR HEARING
Grain Men at Minneapolis Claim
to Be Anxious For Grain
Investigation
AS TO ELEVATOR PRACTICES
Grain Men at Minneapolis Manifest
Much Interest in the Amendment Sc
cured by LaFelIette Providing for
Including Alleged Grain Trust in In
vestigation.

Minneapolis, June 2S.-When the in
terstate commerce commission comes
to Minneapolis to investigate the
grain trust" which. Senator Latollette
alleges. dominates the grain business
of the west. the Minneapolis chamber
of commerce will afford the investiga-
tors every facility it may have for OBJ
tanning information in detail covering
Senators LaFolette and Nelson will be
in the northwest at the time, tho this
is not certain.
Peter B. Smith said yesterday that
as president of the chamber he will be
pleased to assist the committee in any
way possible. Among other members
of the chamber there is a feeling that
delay would be most unfortunate, now
that allegations have been made in the
senate, and the general opinion is that
the sooner full investigation is made
the better for all.
Era of lnvestig alton.
This is an era of investigation" said
director of the chamber. Every
thing else has teen investigated, and
| suppose the grain trade might as
we'll get ready.
On the floor OF the chamber discus
sion was rife yesterday as to the prob
able witnesses. 1t is expected that not
country elevator lines will be called,
but that the heads of the Minneapolis
milling companies will be put upon the
stand. Since the inquiry is on 1t will
probably be thorough. The committee.
tho directing its inquiries principally
into the charges of relationship be-
tween the country elevators and the
railroads, will want to know the work
ings of the trade in it's entirety. The
relationship of the grain and elevator
firns to the milling companies will be
brought out.
Since the financing of crop move
ment will be germane to the main
question. if not essential, the presi-
dents of some OF the big Minneapolis
banks, or bank directors, who are in
terested in grain firms, may have to
appear.
Duluth Superior Fight.
The fact that Senator La Toilette
is behind the move suggests two
ases-thoroughness, and the likeli-
hood of probe into the Duluth-Super-
Tor fight of recent memory. The inter-
state commerce commission acts ac-
cording to it's own Judgment, and no
senator of other government official
has power to influence it. Neverthe-
less it is believed the well known La
Toilette characteristic of combative-
ness and intenseness of purpose will
appear behind, urging on the commits
sion. The fact that La Toilette was
governor of Wisconsin at a time when
the Duluth Superior fight was on, and
that he is familiar with the pleas of
Superior, and with the inspection dis
pute, and that he naturally favors the
Wisconsin-N North Dakota element that
seeks to get around the Minnesota in
spection, and has made allegations of
makes it seem certain this
will be gone into.
1t may be questioned, however.
whether this is matter properly with
prominent Duluth man in Minneapolis
Yesterday says ne expects to see the
interstate commerce commission go in
to this Duluth Superior matter, and if
it be found to lie beyond the power of
the commission, enough will no doubt
be brought to light to warrant investi-
cation either by Commissioner Gar
field of the bureau of corporations, or
by a special Investigating committee,
the final bringing about of which he
believes to be part of the La Toilette
plan.
Ready to Testify.
No less than twenty Minneapolis
men prominent in terminal elevator,
line elevator or milling companies were
seen yesterday, and all expressed their
willingness to appear before the COM
mission and their belief that nothing
illegal in the relationship of the rail-
roads to Minneapolis firms will be
found.
The only Minneapolis firm specifical-
ly mentioned in the list presented to
the senate by Mr.. La Toilette is the
Peavey company, and the allegation is
an old one and has reference to mat
ter removed from local interest and
affecting the Union Pacific railroad.
CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST ON TRIAL