Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-13
MONEY FOR NORTH DAKOTA

AS a direct result of work initiated by the Grand
Forks Commercial club and participated in by the COM
mercial organizations Of several other cities, as we'll as by
a few individuals who joined in the movement, there will
be brought into the state Of North Dakota to be paid
to the farmers of the state some forty million dollars of
actual cash which would not have been brought here
had this work not been performed.
It is well that the actual facts should be understood
and borne in mind. Under the authority Of the food adj
ministration a price fixing committee had been formed
in Washington to set a price on this years crop OF wheat.
There were but a few days within which to act Scarcely
any Of the members Of that committee were familiar with
the facts governing the raising Of wheat in the northwest.
The figure suggested for wheat was S1.65 per bushel at
terminals, ana several of the members were in favor of
a still lower price. Had the matter been allowed to go
by default a price higher. than $1.65 would not have been
made, and it is a question if that price would have been
reached.
The initial steps toward setting the facts before the
committee were taken by the Grand Forks Commercial
club. which at once took up the matter of sending to
Washington a delegation for that purpose. The cooper
alton Of other communities was secured, and a committee
of representative farmers was gathered togethers and
started for Washington. In passing it may be- noted that
every man on that delegation paid his own expenses. That
delegation was the only one which was given a hearing
by the price fixing committee. 1t went armed with first
hand information relating to the conditions, and from its
efforts the committee received such new light that a price
of $3.50 was fixed instead of a price some so cents lower.
If the number of bushels in the crop of this year is null
tiplied by. 60 cents the result will approximate what this
means in dollars and cents to North Dakota. And it was
unquestionably the work Of this delegation which pro-
duced this result.
It was not very long since wheat in North Dakota was
selling at so cents a bushel. It wasn't a big price,. but
it served for a time. To produce the crops that sold at
that price required a lot of labor and the use Of a large
amount of capital. The work of the North Dakota dele
cation was equivalent to the creation. without labor and
without investment, Of a crop Of wheat greater than was
ever raised in the 60-cent days, and the distribution of
that crop among the farmers, to be sold at so cents g.
bushel.
Forty million dollars is probably a low estimate to
place on the additional money that will come into the
state this year in consequence Of this work. Every farm
er who raises a bushel Of wheat will receive his share of
it. On the thousand bushel crop of the small farmer 1t
means 100000. And of that money every resident Of the
state will receive a share. 1t will be paid first to the
farmers, and by them it will be expended for commodi-
ties which could not otherwise have been purchased. Ev-
cry merchant will participate. Every interest in the state
will feel the stimulating effect. These results are due di-
restly to the initial efforts of this club, seconded as they
were by the efforts Of representative men throughout this
section.