The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-27
Minneapolis Chamber of Com
MERGE Will Assist the Fed
eral Investigators.
INQUIRY EXPECTED TO
BE FARREACHING
Some Grain Men Look for Re.
sumption Of the Duluth
Superior Fight.
When the interstate commerce COM

When the interstate commerce COM
mission comes to Minneapolis to inves.
tigate the "grain trust" which, Sem
ator Lafollette alleges, dominates the
grain business Of the west, the Mime
apolis Chamber of Commerce will af-
ford the investigators every facility 1t
may have for obtaining information in
detail covering the business. It is
thought likely that Senators Lafollette
and Nelson will be in the northwest at
the time, tho this is not certain.
Peter B. Smith said today 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 feeling that
delay would be most unfortunate, now
that allegations have been made In the
senate, and the general opinion Is that
the sooner a full investigation Is made
the better for all.
Era Of Investigation.
"This is an era of Investigations"
said director Of the Chamber. "Ev-
erything else has been investigated and
I suppose the grain trade might as well
get ready ..-.
On the floor Of the Chamber discus
sion was rife today as to the probable
witnesses. It is expected that not only
railroad men and managers Of 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 prob
directing it's inquiries principally into
the charges Of relationship between the
country elevators and the railroads, will
want to know the workings of the
trade in it's entirety. The relationship
Of the grain and elevator firms to the
milling companies will be brought out.
Since the financing of a crop move
ment will be germane to the main ques-
ton, if not essential, the presidents Of
bank directors, who are interested In
grain firms, may have to appear.
| Duluth Superior Fight.
The fact that Senator La Toilette
is behind the move suggests two
phases -thoroness, and the likelihood
Of a probe into the Duluth-Superior
commerce commission acts according to
its own Judgment, and no senator or
other government official has power to
influence it. Nevertheless, it is be-
lieved the well-known La Toilette char
acteristic of combativeness and intense
ness Of purpose will appear behind, ur-
cling on the commission. The fact that
La Toilette was governor of Wiscon-
sin at time when the uth-Superior
fight was on, and that he is familiar
with the pleas of Superior, and with
the inspection dispute, and that he nat
urally favors the Wisconsin-No rth Da-
kota element that seeks to get around
the Minnesota inspection, and has made
allegations Of unfairness, makes it
| rfoip {bio mill he int
i It may be questioned, however,
whether this is matter properly with
in the province Of the commission. A
prominent Duluth man in Minneapolis
today says he expects to see the inter
state commerce commission go into this
Du1uth-Superior matter, and if 1t be
found to lie beyond the power Of the
brought to light to warrant investiga-
ton either by Commissioner Garfield Of
the bureau of corporations, or by
special investigating committee, the
final bringing about of which he be-
lieves to be a part Of the La Toilette
plan.
No less than twenty Minneapolis
men prominent in terminal elevator,
line elevator or milling companies were
| seen today, and all expressed their
mission and their belief that nothing
illegal in the relationship Of the rail-
roads to Minneapolis firms will be
found.
The only Minneapolis firm specifcal-
ly mentioned in the list presented to
the senate by Mr.. La Toilette Is the
Peavey company, and the allegation is
ter removed from local interest and
affecting the Union Pacific railroad.
What Mr.. Wells Says.
HIt is a matter of general knowledge
! that the northwest has at all times been
free from the so-called illegal practices
as between the railroad and the ship
said E. B. Wells Of the Peavey com
pany. We have done business for years
with the Great Northern, Northern Pa
cifc, Omaha, Milwaukee and Mime
apois & st. Louis roads, and there
never has been anything in our rela-
tions, or so far as we know, in the re-
lation Of these road to other shippers,
that anyone might not know. Any
member of the interstate commerce
commission or person properly accred-
tied may have access to everything
bearing upon the question that we
have. There is Just one way in which
we are concerned in the present inves-
tigation, that is with reference to the
allowance to us by the Union Pacific
road Of IN cents bushel for elevat-
ing grain at Omaha. This is an open
matter. We render services, facilitate
the handling Of grain, and SO utilize our
terminals. The arrangement is more
beneficial to the railroad than to US.
Long ago it was alleged that, notwith-
standing it was legitimate compensa-
! ton, this payment of IN cents bush
ell was not in the nature of a rebate.
The interstate commerce commission at
that time decided it was not. -
i Coast Lines and Inquiry.
i Whether 1t is because they serve q
growing country, or whether It is set
tied policy of management, the three
northern transcontinental lines which
enter Minneapolis are said to be. free
from the charge Of joint ownership Of
grain elevators with the elevator com.
panies.
Edgar b. Newhall. Big Sandy, chouteau
county, Mont, vice T. A. NARROW removed.
Thomas II. Hin, Bovine Lyman county. s. D..
vice w. G. Brown, removed. l.. r. Mumma,
, Leslie, Stanley county, s. D.. vice D. A.
/ NcKnlip, resigned.