The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-20
DEMAND SQUARE DEAL FOR DuRUM
North Dakota Wheat Men Denounce Discrimination and
Favor Labelling Of Flour with Origin Of Grain
From Which It Is Made.

WHATS Iue Hlalter With uurum
wheat This was the question around
which centered animated discussions
at the convention of representatives
of commercial clubs of cities of North
Dakota, called at Grand Forks to
consider the alleged unjust discrimi.
nation practiced by line elevators and
mfllers an buying the product. At the
conclusion of the discussion strong
resolutions were adopted deaouncine
this discrimination in no uncertain
terms and blaming millers and grain
men from outside the state. Prof. r.
F. Ladd. state pure food commission.
er, was lauded for his efforts to COM
pei the millers to comply with the
law. Organizations are recommended
p in every county in the state in which
durum is raised.
The efforts of representatives in
congress to secure the passage of a
grain inspection law are Endorsed.
and they are urged to continue their
efforts in this direction The conven.
tion went on record as not Wishing to
discourage the growing of Scotch fife
or blue stem wheat where suited OF
in the Red river valley. where the
conditions are unfavorablc for durum.
Millers participated in the afternoon
session. and did not altogether agree
as to durum wheat being as good as
other kinds for flour making. Before
adjournment it was voted 10 hold the
next convention in Devils Lake March
.
The meeting, called at the instance
of the committee of the North Da.
kota Bankers association which has
Under consideration the marketing of
grain, assembled in the commercial
club at 10 o'clock yesterday morning
with fair representation from the
various sections of the state, to con.
slider the durum wheat question and
incidentally to take steps to, ascertain
the reason for the wide margin now
existing between the price of durum
and the hard varieties of wheat.
Senator Cashel of Grafton, chair.
man of the bankers committee, called
the meeting to order. and announced
the object of the conference. He gave
some interesting facts about the in
vest4gations of the bankers commit
tee and affirmed that there was for
some reason an unjust discrimination
against durum wheat which should
receive due attention from this organ
ization. Prof. Ladd, North Dakota's
pure food commissioner, was intro
Guced and addressed the meeting. He
referred to the action of the state
legislature in providing for an expert
mental -four mill st the agricultural
college. where extensive investiga.
tions have been under way for some
time past to determine the value OF
different kinds of wheat for food. He
stated that durum wheat is not the
same today that it was when the
farmers of North Dakota first COM
menced raising it. 1t is coming every
year nearer the millers' standard.
The price Of durum wheat is evil
IDENTIFY being kept down below the
normal value by parties interested in
accomplishing this result. just as the
millers of Minneapolis years ago tried
to keep down the price Of Kansas
wheat. Within the past year the mar
Gin between the price of fife wheat
and dufun has been as wide as q
cents.
Personally the speaker preferred
durum -four, although he had been
prejudiced against it as the result of
so much being said against it. His
family had been buying flour of one
mill for years, but the quality had in
some way become impaired, and they
had tried various other brands. He
finally had some durum flour made at
the experimental mill sent home, but
without advising the family of it's
character. 1t proved entirely satis-
factory, and they are using it now
right along, in preference to ether
-four
In order that the cost of making
the -four at the experimental mill
should not be excessive in any way,
he had offered the members of the
faculty and employees a fuantity of
the durum -four at cost. With one ex-
ception the trial proved so satisfac-
tory that all wanted more, one fam
lily preferring blend of the two
flours.
Prof. Ladd read most interesting
paper on ''The Place of Durum
Wheat"
Chairman Cashel stated at the close
OF Prof. Ladd's address that the
conditions as to marketing North Da-
kota wheat had been materially i'm
proved as result of the agitation.
There is less complaint from the
farmers in the matter of dockage. and
In many cases they are getting at
least q higher grade for the same
wheat. The chairman suggested that
before the meeting adjourned COM
mittee on resolutions should be APP
pointed to express the sentiments of
the meeting, and also that secretary
should be chosen.
T. r. Atkinson of Bismarck, state
drainage commissioner. was elected