The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-04-22
STATEMENT MADE BY
. live STOCK EXCHANGE.
Condemns Action Of Committee
From North Dakota SocI-
ely Of Equity.
ST.. Paul. April 20. 1915,


meeting held in Bismarck in February
last to send special committee to
South st. Paul for the purpose Of
making thorough Investigation OF
the methods employed as we'll as the
record books of all the commission
firms constituting the Exchange. This
agreement stipulated that the Live
Stock Exchange was to appropriate
$3.50 for the expenses of the Equity
committee of seven members, who
were to 60 to South St. Paul without
bias and make an impartial investiga-
ton of all firms doing business there.
The $3.50 expense money was forward
ed to the Equity committee through
J. M. Anderson, member of the COM
mittee, prior to their leaving North
Dakota Notwithstanding the abso-
lutte frankness of the Live Stock Ex-
change in all its efforts this commit
tee arrived in St. Paul on March 10
and went into closed and secret ses-
sion, at the same time notifying the
Live Stock Exchange that they would
not be able to meet the Exchange un-
til the 18th. After five days of secret
parleying they brought forth set OF
resolutions, the principal one of which
endorsed one of the commission firms
as being worthy of the patronage of
the members of the Society of Equity.
This endorsement was given without
having made an examination of the
methods employed by, or the account
books of any of the various firms
constituting the Exchange. This was
done in open violation of the agree
ment made at Bismarck month be-
fore, which stipulated that no en-
dorsement should be given any firm
until a complete examination of all
the firms should be made. In proof
of the agreement of the Society Of
Equity to this stipulation we cite the
fact that they accepted and used the
$3.50 forwarded by the Live Stock Ex-
change. At the conclusion of the de-
alterations of the committee of the
Society of Equity in St. Paul they
went to South St. Paul, but did not
inform the Exchange of their action
in endorsing one of the firms, contrary
to their agreement made at Bismarck,
and it was only after a copy of st.
Paul paper containing the resolutions
and endorsement of one of the firms
fell into the hands of an official of the
Exchange that they learned of the
duplicity of the committee. Upon
their arrival at the South st. Paul
Stock Exchange the Equity commit
tee were asked relative to their rea-
son for endorsing one Of the commits
sion firms in violation of the Bismarck
agreement and they gave evasive an
swers but did not attempt to clear up
their action. The action of the
Equity committee is in strange con-
trast to the open and honest efforts
of committee from the Tri-State
Grain and Stock Growers Association,
which made a most thorough and ex-
acting investigation of the affairs OF
the various firms composing the ex-
change with the exception of one con-
Germ which refused to permit them to
use their record books 1t is note
worthy that this firm is the one that
the Equity had endorsed.
The South st. Paul Live Stock Elk
change courts at all times thorough
and impartial investigation of the va.
rious firms composing it's membership
and feels that any of the commission
houses doing business that will not
permit an examination of its meth
eds and account books is not worthy
of patronage.
1t is strange commentary on the
methods of the Society of Equity to
know that its officers. agents and
committee have continuously secretly
dealt with firm here whose meth
DDS have been seriously questioned
by the authorities of the Exchange.
The rank and file of the Society
of Equity is composed of honest farm.
ers, but some of the leaders of that
movement are professional agitators
and organizers and very many of
their methods are exceedingly queer.
II is believed here that when once
the searchlight of honest investiga-
ton Is turned on these officers and
their efforts to secure patronage for
one firm only and thus throttle com.
petition, revelations Of very start.
ling character will be made. The
farmers should look carefully after
their own interests and see If they
are getting square deal. The South
st. Paul Live Stock Exchange has
earnestly endeavored to foster the
live stock interests of the North.
west by trying to secure another
packing plant here, by fighting
their battles for lower freight rates
on live stock to and from this mar
ket Gust a few years ago the Elk.
change Iaid $1,000 attorney fees to
win one case for you), at large ex.
pense have recently sent representa-.
tives to other states to secure the
removal Of the quarantine for foot
and mouth disease from Minnesota
North Dakota and South Dakota,
since, although none being in exist
ence in these states, it seriously AZ