Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-31
ports of the ST. Paul and Chicago


charges; for the difference between
the price of wheat at this writing be.
tween Minneapolis and Liverpool is
% cents. The difference between the
price of corn in those places is SIC.
| The difference between 22c and SIC is
l5c. which, since corn can be handled
as cheaply as wheat, and it is in fine
condition., and the freight rates are
little less, must measure the amount
of toll the grain spectators take from
the farmers over and above affair
profit.
Price of Barley Follows Price of Corn
Nor is it the corngrowers alone that
are tleeced. On the Sd day of Decem-
ber this writer received market let
ter from the st. Paul Grain Exchange
which read as follows.
BARLEY prices sick; no show for the
recovery of the recent &c drop while
corn continues to decline. -
OF course, it is no secret to say to
those who have followed the market
reports that the price of corn largely
governs the price of barley. But it is
useless to tell the farmers to hold
their corn till the grain gamblers
raise the price along in the spring or
summer, as they surely will. They
must have the money. But they
should strive for terminal elevato ors
(as the Canadians nave already done)
where portion of the crop might be
stored and cash drawn against ware
house receipts. A small percentage
of the crop 80 handled and kept off
the market would stop the great
slump IN price when the farmers are
marketing heavily. Farmers should
also patronize the farmers indepen-
dent selling agency at st. Paul, The
Equity Co-Operative Exchange. 1t
is the only open grain market in the
United States where anybody and
everybody may bid on any or all
grain offered for sale. No outsiders
can enter any other exchange. Hence,
competition among bidders is re-
stricted to the embership of such
exchange Or if people not holding
membership in such exchange wish
to bid on grain, they must employ
some member to make their bids and
pay such member cent a bushel for
doing it. Here is where the two COM
missions come in. Nor is this the
only disadvantage of selling grain to
members of the Chamber of Com
merce OF Minneapolis, or any other
exchange where grain speculators are
in control.
The big spectators who control
the Minneapolis Chamber of Com
merce have many subsidiary corpor-
atlons to which they sell consigned
grain and of whom they buy grain to
supply their mills and elevators. In
addition to indefensible acts in sell
ing farmers grain to themselves,
this system of parent corporations
having many subsidiaries, the stock
of which is practically all owned by
members of said parent corporation,
admits OF many commissions being
charged, and the first price given
the farmer is fixed sufficiently low to
meet such deductions from the real
price Of the grain.
Some portion of losses sustained
: through such manipulation can be
l overcome by shipping grain to the
: st. Paul markets, the Equity Co
: Operative Exchange, where but one
commission is charged and which is
open to the competition of the world.
Many owners of mills throughout the
j states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
, who hold members hips in the Cham
t Der Of Commerce, are glad to give
: their orders to this farmsrs selling
t agency, the Equity COOPERATIVE Ex-
{ change, for in doing SO they are able
) to get the virgin grain from the far.
3 mers without being put through hos
pitfalls or mixing elevators, which is
.
2 grain is bought on grade from mem
g bers of Minneapolis or Chicago ex
2 changes.
, 1t seems almost inconcelvable that
business men of cities of the North.
: west could be Indifferent to this
wholesale robbing of the grain grow
) ers of the country. The merchants
2 ability 10 sell goods is limited only
2 by the ability of the farmers to buy
2 and pay for them; hence, the mer-
2 chants should be in this fight shoulder
r to shoulder with the farmer. Nobody
} is being benefited by the farmer of
: this country losing almost one-third
; of the price of the corn and barley
they produce except mere handful
of very wealthy spectators, who are
:. able, through the power Of money,