The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-03-28
The Prize Winning Essay

The following essay was the prize
winner at the agricultural college and
was written BY John Magill, one Of the
students who resides ait Verona, N. D.s
His subject was the Farmers Eleya-
Itor: 55
The most vital question that con-
lfronts the farmers at the present time
lis the marketing Of their grain. For
Iexanlple; one of the leading farmers
Iof Cass county stated at the last meet.
ling of the Farmers Cooperative assoc
Iciation that he had seldom experience
led any difficulty in raising again, but
| lhad often found trouble in selling it
ladvantag geously. 4
AS a rule the farmer cannot sell his
grain for anywhere near its real value.
HE sells it to the agent oil a line eleva-.
/ tor company who grades 1t in accord
lance with his instructions which EN-
lphatically caution him not to grade any.
grain higher than it will be graded at
1.-THE other end Of the line by the inspec-
Itors. In order to be on the safe side,
/ the. agent naturally grades 1t lower.
lthan his own best judgment tells him It
ought to be graded. In this way alone
1.-THE farmers are defrauded of large
lpercentage OF their yearly products. Y
1 But this is by no means the only part
i Of their unjust losses. In every town
i where there is no farmers elevator,
1.-The buying margin is from three to six
jceflts above the cost of shipping. This
Ifnargin is nearly all net profit. No
s|more striking instance of this whole
lsale robbery can be seen than the dif-
ference in prices paid in a town 1. where
There is a farmers warehouse, and
lone short distance away where there
lis not. In the first the price will in
lvariably be from two to four cents per
busheI above that paid in the latter
Iwhere3 the line companies have no OPP
Iposition Several such cases have come
lunder the personal observation OF the
lWriter.
/ There is yet another means of heec-
ling the farmers How often has one
LOT them shipped his grain and eventual
u Ily received less for it than he would
| have netted BY selling It to the agent
Fat his own station? Not only has he
Ibeen "let down. in the price; but the
grade has also been unsatisfactory II
1.-THE agent is asked about it, he will as
Essurne an innocent look, and advise the
ldisgruntled farmer not to he SO fool-
5lish again. If he choose, however, he
Imnight tell some important facts In
his daily report he gives a list Of those
IWho have shipped grain these who
have cars loading or about to be load.
led, also the number and Gil known ths
!. Idestination Of each car. In this wa,
, every independent shipper scar is spot.
tied before it leaves its starting point
/ When the car arrives in any Of ths
!. Heading markets, some of the com
: panys Representatives generally fix j
I lllp'' with the inspector who as resul
$ sees fit to grade No. I Northern, No
IL and other grades in like manner
Z lThen acomnission merchant, whodoe
not, care anything for the man who's
interest he has agreed to look after
], il the market is good usually sells a
Il soon as possible irrespective OF the in
lstructions Of his customer, pocketinl
= 1.-The difference If the price happens t.
!, 90 down before orders to sell are re
4 lceived. Although the commission
Imam reports that he sold car No. $,
land SO according to Instructions, OF
4 in case of no Instructions, used hi
low best Judgment by selling or hold
z ing, it is a significant fact that most Q
( 1.-THE instances in which he used hts s'bes
Judgment show that that Judgment
s was sadly erroneous. A striking ex
6 ample of this double-dealin came Il
1.-THE writer's notice some time ago.
{, certain farmer billed a carload OF Whea
A land one of fax to a commission nler
e chant in Duluth without any instrtc
tions. The wheat was sold atonce Will
q the flax was held until instruction
Z should Be received Inside oil thre
Idays wheat advanced FIVE cents pc
q btlshel while fax receded twice a
Z much. This IS only one instance OF
le of hundreds that are taking place cs
q lery day. 1t would Of course be in
y possible to forsee what the price
le would be at distant date; but b
q using the means at their comman
a such ais reports from markets at HON
and abroad, and statements receive
from country buyers, il Is possible fe
the commission firms and others 4
make a pretty accurate estimate IS
few days at least.
u This last abuse cannot be refned q
In at once. It's inachinery IS too iiltr
is lcate. and the organizations behind
att Iare too powerful to be overthroWIl
e- "a day; but the FIRST two abuses ca
te livery easily be disposed Of
sdI The first thing to do is to get fogethe
,4 Nothing can possibly be done witliol
Il organized effort, and unless that effo
III IS sincere and continuous, il will sure
he result iii failure That is To say, unle
es Ithose who join any movement fof mi