The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-09-12

Relative Prices on Grade Wheat
Raised By Grain Administrator
Consideration Obtained Through
Organization-Public Domain Graft
Held Up BY La Follette-Soldier
Bonus Measure Introduced BY Con.
gresham Baer-Secretary of Ag.
riculpture Kills Feed and Seed Loan
Bill-Trade Commission Urges Pub
lie Ownership of Refrigerator Cars.
Washington, D. C.-The new stand
ard price scale for grades of wheat
below No. l northern, announced by
Federal Grain Administrator julius
II. Barnes this week, completely bears
out the contention Of underpaymenr
under the old standards made by the
Nonpartisan league for years past,
and was largely brought about by the
activity and progressivencss Of the
Nonpartisan representatives in con-
gress.
The new price scale announced by
the grain corporation went into effect
September 2. Under it all dealers
will be required to. pay producers
standardized prices based on the mill
ing value Of wheat. In cases where
dealers attempt to beat down these
price scales notification to the region
al directors of the United States
Grain corporation will result in the
federal government entering the buy
ing field in competition.
Prices which growers are now en-
titled to receive, formulated after Il
conference between the grain admin
istrator and a delegation Of north
western farmers representatives held
in New York on August 26, are as
follows. The scale is for terminal
sales at Minneapolis, with country
point sales subject only to the ap-
propriate transportation discounts:
IMPORTANT GRADE CHANGES
Number i, $2.211z per bushel; No.
2, $780,; No. 3, $2.151a; No. d,
$2.11h; No. 5, $2.0712.
For all wheat conforming to the
general specifications of No. 5 or bet
ter, but deficient in weight, the No. 5
price is to be discounted not more
than cents per bushel for each pound
deficiency in test. This ruling ap-
plies to grades running as low as 45
pounds. Wheat grading below No. 5
for reasons other than deficiency in
test weight Isl to be- boughts IN its
relative merits.
The new scales for lower wheat
grades have been sent by MI. Barnes
to all zone officers Of the United
States Grain corporation. They furth-
er specify that smutty wheat is to
be discounted from a maximum Of 2
cents bushel for slightly smutty, to
larger discounts based scientifically
on the degree of smut. Garlicky
wheat is to be discounted 2 cents and
mixed wheat will be taken at dis
counts ranging from 2 to S cents, &C
cording to quality in the judgment OF
each vice president.
Since the guarantee price on No. l
wheat is not affected by the new
standards, and as it is the almost uni
versal practice of the millers to base
flour prices on this grade, no excuse
is afforded for passing Oh the farm
ers' increased returns in the form of
higher prices to the consumer.
Aside from the benefits to the
wheat grower of the new scale the
most striking thing about its incep-
ton is that Mr.. Barnes himself has
admitted thereby that the grades fixed
originally by the department Of agri-
culture were manifestly unfair.
ORGANIZATIONS WON
Representative Baer Of North Da-
kota, who has been in public life quite
long enough to know the fundamental
and vital power of organization, COM
mentcd on the order as follows:
"Two or three able farmers might
we'll have gone to see Mr.. Barnes in
his New York offices with the iden-
tical data which we took there with
out achieving any practical results.
In Doctor Ladd, Railroad Commits
sioner Aandahl of North Dakota, Rep
resentative Sinclair, Young, myself
and the other farmer-chosen dele
gates, however, the grain administra-
tor had before him practical evidence
Of the power Of the organized farm
ers of the Northwest. 1t was Simply
because the farmers We're organized
and therefore able to send to New
York group Of men demanding inn
mediate attention and intelligent CO.
operation that they received prompt