The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-23
THEY HIT BACK.
Kansas City Board of Trade
After RadfOrd.
Charge the Grain Inspector
With Misrepresentation.
CALLS FOR THE NAMES.
Wants Specific Information
About the Charges.
Says That Official Is Practicing
Newspaper Politics.
FOR THE NAMES.

The Kansas city board of trade has
started a backhre on the attack which
was recently made upon it by John w.
Radford. the state grain inspector.
Mr. Radford charged that certain
Kansas City grain dealers were guilty
of fraudulently substituting inferior
grain for a superior article. He an
nounced that he would ask the next
legislature to make such a practice a
felony. E. D. Bigelow is secretary of
the Kansas City board of trade, and he
comes back at Mr.. Radford as follows:
Charges emanating from your de-
partment have been given wide circu-
lation in the press to the effect that
fraud was common in the grain bust
ness at Kansas City. You have cited
one instance which implicated a mem
Der of the board of trade of Kansas
City. and you have stated that there
were other grain dealers and handlers
in Kansas City who were engaged in
fraudulent practices.
THE bylaws of the Kansas City
board of trade require that any MEM
Der guilty of fraudulent or corrupt
practices in any transaction toward
either another member or any out
slider shall be tried by the board of
directors upon charges duly preferred.
and If found guilty shall be expelled.
"A committee Of the board of trade
has twice called upon you TO furnish
them the evidence upon which you
based your statements and you have re-
fused to comply with their request or lc
aid them In any way. Charges have
been preferred against the member III
question and the trial set for Tuesday,
the 18th inst, at 3:15 p. m, in the room
OF the board of directors. which is in
the board of trade building. AS the
board of trade has no means Of forcing
the attendance of witnesses other than
its members, it invites and requests you
and all of your assistants who know
anything of this transaction, to be pres
ent at that meeting and to give evidence
as to any facts within your or theit
knowledge which can aid the board of
directors in arriving at the truth. We
also request you to give US the names
of any dealers who have engaged in
dishonest or irregular grain dealings
If any such are members of the board of
trade the charges will be promptly in
vestigated.
The board of trade of Kansas City
has always merited and received the
confidence of the producers and hand
! lers of grain. It's business is founded
upon the integrity of its members and
/ It has jealousy guarded its good name
| by stringent regulations vigorously en-
| forced to prevent all unfairness or dis
! honesty IN the relations of its members
with each other or with the public. Any
outsider having dealings with a mem
Der has precisely the same right and op-
portunity as a member to file complaints
and be heard at the trial of the accused
member.
I'VE demand that, in all fairness
you make your charges specific and
aid us with information and evidence
| Of irregularities or dishonest dealings
! by any member of this board of trade
/ Also that you make known the names
/ of nonmembers who have engaged in
unfair or dishonest dealings and the
| Instances in which they have beer
I derelict The public has a right tc
these facts for It's own protection. The
board of trade, numbering among its
members the principal grain dealers
and handlers in the Kansas City mar
ket. has a right to them so that it car
protect the integrity of and preserve
that market.
Amy other course upon your par
must subject you to the criticism thai
you are merely indulging in newspaper
politics which will inevitably harm
the Kansas City grain market instead
of trying to promote fair dealing and
keep this market as it is today. one Of
the largest. best and cleanest graiT
| markets in the country.
Respectfully.
sE d RTGFI. OW -