The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-27
weight is ascertainable, by taking ac-

weight Is ascertainable, by taking ac-
count Of grain Of a specific weight and
running it through the sleeves and then
weighing the dirt and the clean
grain separately, it is possible and
practicable to arrive at q ratio by
which the amount of grain in the en-
tire amount Of wheat may be deter
mined. The evidence would indicate
In the case at bar that whatever de-
vices have been used by the different
companies at Eldrtdge. and whatever
results have been obtained, the fact
that different results were obtained
regarding the same identical grain,
does not ter to prove that these re-
suits were arrived at in any dishonest
manner, but it would appear that in
one case h party testing the grain
for dirt made a more careful and
exhaustive attempt to get all Of the
dirt out, or had a later and more
improved machine for that purpose,
n while the evidence showed that in
one instance at least, the three differ
ent elevator companies at Eldridge
arrived at radically different results.
yet this commission is not persuaded
that either party making the test was
actuated by other than fair motives.
The evidence shows that practically
a horizontal dockage of n pound a
bushel was taken by all Of the elevat-
ors at Eldridge during the past sea
son. While this is a somewhat unus-
ual state of affairs, inasmuch as the
commission itself knows hat a much
larger dockage is generally taken. yet
1t nay be true hat an exceptionally
clean crop Of grain was raised in this
neighborhood during the past season.
At any rate there Is nothing to indi-
cate that this dockage was not honest
1r "a Niry1 90 r-5 LhnN wMrn - M oct
mony tending to prove there was any
agreement between any Of the elevat-
ors and any of the farmers that any
other dockage than a just and honest
dockage should be taken.
Much the same might be said in re-
gard to the grading of the grain. While
all of the grain marketed at Eldridge
was graded high, mostly being No. l
northern, yet there was nothing to in
dictate in the evidence that it was grain
that should not honestly be graded
that high, and there was no evidence
to indicate that any collision was re-
sorted to in fixing the grade, or that
any arbitrary methods were used In
determining what the grade should
be. but so far as the evidence shows,
at all the elevators the grain sold there
was tested with a view to ascertain
the condition Of the grain, n not
with a view of determining the price
to be paid.
The commission is not anmindful Of
the fact that many other influences
were at work at Eldridge. The buyer
of the Farmers Elevator Co.. was a
new man, a stranger among h peo-
pie, n seems to have been slow in
gaining the confidence and attracting
their business. On the other hand, the
buyer of the Powers Elevator Co. had
been a. resident Of the town for sever
al years, was personally acquainted
with all of the farmers. and had won
their confidence n gained their re-
gard, n it Is evident that without
using any unfair or arbitrary or COL
lusive methods, he was enabled to buy
the grain from the very members of
the Farmers Elevator Co., at the same
price paid by the farmers company.
OF course 1t is hardly to be expected
that the patrons of the elevators who
will profit by these fierce eompetita-
tive influences are going to testify
very strongly against the parties to
whom they are indebted for these adj
vantages, and as a fact all Of the wit
nesses subpoenaed by the complain
ant testified that they sold their grain
companies because they liked their
buyers. and because they liked their
methods of doing business, n for
other personal reasons. These wit
nesses owned stock in the Farmers
Elevator CO., but in such small guam
titles that their loss of profits by rea-
son of diyerting their W business. to
other elevators was not appreciable.
In fact some of the witnesses testi-
fed they expected to make their prof
its off the other customers OF the ele-
vator. While this may not show a
Very patriotic spirit, vet from a. bust
ness point of view we are not prepar-
ed to say that 1t is not a good policy
for farmers to w stock in a farmers
elevatr for the moral effect it may
produce to have a farmers elevator
in the market buying grain. and al the
same time sell their own grain ar
! ket.
! The result Of the investigation, and