Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-03-07
FARMERS LINE OF ELEVATORS.

In the letter reproduced below is out
tined the ideas of a Walsh county far
mer on the question of grain elevators
being owned and operated by the far
mers themselves. The letter appeared
in the Park River paper and there is
every prospect of an elevator being run
in that town by farmers next fall. In
fact the project has already advanced to
the stage where they have closed a deal
for the purchase of one of the old line
houses. While the farmers here are
talking railroads, wouldn't it be a good
idea to take up the plan of putting a
line of elevators upon the proposed new
road?
Lot me again call the attention of the
farmers to the necessity of each one
taking stock in a farmers elevator. AS
already shown the farmers are throw
ing away $4,000 each year in running un-
necessary elevators. 1t is no advantage
to the farmer to have five elevators
when one will do the work, as all five are
in a combination and act as one. But
let no one suppose that these elevator
companies are satisfied with $4,000 which
is necessary for the running expenses of
their elevators. They are not in the
wheat buying business for fun. Nor
does the seven cents which they have
been taking all this season represent all
their profits. If they can dock the far
mer 2 lbs. or 215 lbs. to the bushel, that
means another 2 cents per bushel for
them as it is we'll known that dockage
at head quarters averages only about 3
Id. | know that the agents here will
show the farmer reports of cars shipped
which tell a dockage of l h. lbs. or
even 81 lbs. per bushel. But these re-
ports are never signed by the state
weigh master or the state inspector.
They are not therefore the original pa
pers made out by the state representa-
tives, but papers filled up in the Office of
the elevator company, and to accomplish
their ends. Then there is another way
they have of increasing their dividends,
and that is by giving the farmer a lower
grade for his wheat than it is really
worth, which means a profit to the ele-
vator company from 1cent to4or 3 cents
a bushel. | am quite aware that this
method has not been persistently prac-
ticed this season. The wheat is of toe
uniform a grade to operate it. This
may explain why so large a margin as Z
cents is necessary. If they cannot get
a profit in grading the wheat they must
try some other means. 1t is safe to say,
then, that the elevator companies have
from 8 cents to 10 cents profit on every
bushel of wheat bought. 1t costs the
farmer to market his grain through any
of these elevators about the same
amount as it does to thresh it,: with this
difference, that from the t%hreshing crew
he knows he gets good hard work fol-
every cen he pays them. while the ele,
vator companies simply tax him 8 cents
or 10 cents a bushel and he pays it with.
out a murmur. Nor need we blame the
elevator companies. They have their
property here and they wish to make a
profit out of it as long as they can. The
only one tt blameis the farmer who sub.
gnits to this kind of treatment when ar
independent elevator is within his reach
What is there about farming anyway
that leads the farmer to submit to
wrongs, and expressions year after year.
TO which no other class of people would
submit for a single month!
A FARMER.