Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-04-25
STORAGE ELEVATORS
By j. e. Kelley.

u
proposition to discuss, the Sioux City
Tribune suggests, that Sioux City
would be an advantageous place at
which to locate an institution. Another
points out that Minneapolis will be very
likely to defeat the former place for the
location OF said elevator.
Now the question arises. what is the
prime purpose of and from whence
comes the demand for storage build
ings?
AS the originator of the idea of state
owned and operated storage elevators
the writer feels as if he can discuss the
proposition without favor to any party
or section, considering only the public
good.
Investigation made by this writer
have shown conclusively that grain
spectators. who constitute the market
manipulators, are able to put the price
OF grain at any point they wish at any
time. Note how on February 2lst the
Chicago board of trade put maximum
price, 90 cents per bushel on oats. Oats
have not gone above and scarcely reach
ed the price since. The same time
barley. but the drop was many times
greater. The point | wish to make is
the boards price stands. The question
as to whether the act was justifia Bile
and that barley was too high and oats
too high and oats for the public good
should go no higher, is not involved in
this discussion. The only question
wish to discuss is that the power of the
speculative grain interest to put any
price thsy wish on the products of the
farm is absolute and complete. They
stand supreme and unchalIenged to say
to the producers of this country the re-
ward they shall have for the year s
work save only by the late interference
of the United States government in
taking over the, buying of wheat.
Little wonder, then, that they took
from the grain growers of the country
$40. 100000 in l20 days during 1915,
when the bulk of our greatest crop was
rushed to market. During the fall of
| 1916 even a greater sum was taken,
| though the taking of it extended over a
longer period They started the price
of wheat at about 81 so per bushel that
year and when the bulk of it got
into their hands pushed it up to above
So per bushel. Then, the government
took over the buying Of wheat. So we
see that the consumer is concerned in
| this wheat and grain speculation quite
as much as the producers.
| Even last fall, while they couldn t
skin either producer or consumer on
wheat, how was it with oats and barley? ?
Oats started at price ranging from
AZ cents to 53 cents. When the specu-
lators elevators got we'll filled up they
rapidly rose to rs cents, then to S5 cents
and finally rested above 80 cents.
Nearly all renters were caught to the
extent of about 80 cents per bushel OF
one third the real value of their oat
crop.
Barley started at about ST, then,
when the gamblers got the bulk of it,
the price was boosted to ST.. so, then to
So 90 Hence the demand for storage
elevators, where the man who must
have money to pay debts can store his
grain at cost and draw cash against a
warehouse receipt.
| Now where should such storage build
| ings be located? Should they be right
under the nose of the greatest trust on
earth? No, we have played into the
hands Of this mighty ombine too long.
The chan Der of commerce of Minneap
oils created no demand but it uses the
the demand to its own selfish ends
created by one hunjred million consurn
ers. The state of Minnesota produces
| more wheat and grain than all the peo
|.pie and livestock of that state consume.
Then why should we pay freight to
Minneapolis and back again on all the
grain consumed by the people of South
Dakota and Iowa, too? 1t is just to
| help out the poor railroads with the
freight and have pleasure of seeing the
mill city's expert gambler manipulate
| the market and take out their toll from
the price? They surely have things
fixed right at present for this scheme,
| for out of a hundred and thirty Touring
mills which we boasted of 20 years ago,
good authority now credits US with less
than 80 and most of these are but side
issues of milling trust, so that every
pound of flour consumed in this state
represents freight charge from here
to Minneapolis and back, regardless
of where it is milled. Proof you say!
There is probably not a town in the
state in which Gold Medal Flour is moi
sold apparent competition with al
other. brands regardless of the place
of milling.
Every pound of grain shipped norts
= Il