Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-11-02
WELLS is cENsURep.
sensational Incident in Grain hearinu
at Oes Mones.

..
sensational Incident in Grain HEARING
at Oes Moines.
Oes Moines. Incidents
marked the offer of testimony before
me inersta,e commerce commission
~ session In Des Moines ON the 26th,
as TO alleged fixing of prices for grain
10y the Des Molnes Cereal clsb for the
members of the State Grain Dealers
association, the pooling OF elevator
BUSINESS at many Iowa points and
otner phases of the relation of the
railroads. to the grain business of the
state.
AFTER several members Of the cereal
''oo mad testified that they could not
remember that the organization had
eser voted to fix prices for grain, r.
w. harper took the stand AMI testi.
neo tfat as a guest of the club he had
olten attended its banquets and meet
'nss' which were held at the Grant
ciuo weekly, and that after discussion
OF prices the vote of the meeting
was taken on motion by the presid-
ing ofhcer, George A. Wells. secretary
OF the Grain Dealers association, and
expressed by lifted hands as a basis
LOT quotations for the ensuing week.
furnished to members of the associa.
llon by Ward 6. Case of this city.
commissioner Lane of the inter.
state commerce commission gave the
members of the cereal club, who had
testified as to prices not having been
nxed at the meetings of the organiza.
tlon, an opportunity to amend their
testimony after Mr.. Harper left the
stand
Secretary Wells took the stand, on
this invitation. and said that he had
intended to testify that he had not
put motions Of this character at
every meeting of the club and was
about to proceed with further amend
ments when Commissioner Lane, lean
ing quickly over his desk toward Mr..
Wells, created sensation by the In
quiry:
Didn't you try to mislead the
commission on that point?"
Mr.. Wells said that he had not.
why did you testify as you
did," continued Commissioner Lane.
did you not try to create the. impress
sion in the commissioners minds that
there was no fixing of prices and that
nothing was done to fix prices at
those meetings? Didn't you do that?"
Mr.. Wells insisted that Me had not
done so.
WAS not that your distinct effort,
in answer to the questions?" persist
ed Mr.. Lane.
"No, sir" replied Mr. Wells.
Didn't you in every way try to
evade and avoid answering the ques'
lions Of Mr.. Marble (the commissions
lawyer) put to you at the time, when
asked in regard to fixing prices e
Mr., Wells started to make some ex-
PLANTATION when he was dismissed
from the stand. a2+f
The incident was sensational in
the extreme and following it informa.
ton relative to the fixing OF prices in
unison for the Iowa grain market was
extracted from witnesses without
much difficulty.
Ward G. Case, who was said to fur
nish the price card to the members OF
the state association Of grain dealers,
was called to the stand and inter-
roRated In detail with respect to the
cards. He. was not certain about much
OF the information he disclosed. This
earned for him many sharp questions
from the attorney and the commits
SION. AS he was about to leave the
stand, after denying that his cards
were the result of the fixing OF prices
by the Des Moines Cereal club. form
erly. or the grain dealers association,
now. Commissioner Lane asked him
the question:
"What Is the value of your cards?
preference, presume" said Mr..
Case.
at that If the people who take them
do not know more about 1t than you
aeam to- was the comment OF Con-
missioner Clark.
The witnesses and allegations dis
closed by their testimony IN the hear
inc were to the effect. that the grain
daa,ers' association is making fight
against the farmers elevator which
Z not a member Of the association or
has the penalty clause. by restricting
its terminal market when possible;
HAT extensive pooling arrangements
have existed and now exist In Iowa.
w y. control the amount of business
lone ~ competing elevators; that
3rices i Of the regular elevators
eooyerned3by q card issued here by
Ward a.! Case; that this card former RI e
y Was the result Of the weekly dis
r 81 ana frequent vote OF the mem
hers Of the Des Moines Cereal ctuD'
that Secretary Wells and the mem
hers Of the grain dealers association
reeard this card as the basis for
nrices to be paid the farmers; and
t,,at independent elevators are FORCED
into pooling arrangements with line
on penalty Of losing bust
ness by price mani mar p l'n4a ton.
,5 AMhlIor IN MINE rs va