The Redwood gazette., 1919-10-01

farmers what they had demanded and
to which they rightfully were entitled.
As residents of an agricultural COM
naunity, many of you will be inter-
ested in conference held In New York
City recently, at which were present
REPRESENTATIVES from this state, IN
cluding several Congressman and the
officers of the United States Grain
Corporation. The subject under dis
cussi0n was the method of handling
the 1919 wheat crop of the North
west. You know that much Of the
wheat this year is light in. weight
and the berry is shrunken or shiveled-
You probably also know what the
grain corporation ordered, but you
will pardon me if ] review some of
the events which caused the price OF
the light wheat to be raised from
|$1.1O to $1.15 bushel to $1.90 and
S1.95 q bushel, and put an additional
$40 100000 directly into the pockets
of the farmers.
When the light wheat Of this years
crop reached the markets; the millers
and the elevator men pretended to be
afraid of it, and to be on the safe
side, they cut the prices away down,
Offering as low as 10 and SLID q
bushel. Loud protests arose from all
sides, and with good cause, for such
prices would have meant almost ruin
to many farmers. Realizing that a
serious situation confronted the grain
PRODUCERS of the state, the Minnesota
Railroad and Warehouse CommlssloE,
/ ID. p. O'Neill, Of the State Board OF
Grain Appeals, n. j. Holmberg, COM
missioner of Agriculture, met IN con-
ference to discuss the problem. II.
was decided that a serious OF baking
tests should be made in the grain de-
partment's laboratory to determine
the milling value of the grain which
was being discreditod by the buyers.
spite of its light weight and shriveled
appearance, contained much gluten,
even more than the average percent
age for some years past, and IN TACT,
produced good flour and excellent
bread.
Afterward, conference was held
in New York City to discuss the en-
tire situation, and if possible, to pre-
wall upon thes FEDERAL authorities TO
fix such prices for the light wheat
as would give the Northwestern farm
ers some return for their seasons
work. IA number of state officials and
nearly all the Congressman OF MIN
nesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
and Montana, together with 2 num-
bcr of millers and grain men. attended
| the conference which was held IN New
| York City. Minnesota was represent
led bv Commissioner jacobson, u. +.
/ O'Neill. and the State Board of Grain
Appeals. Al. G. Smith, Chief Deputy
Grain Inspector at Duluth, n. j. Holm
berg. Commissioner of Agriculture, j.
/ M. Anderson, of the Equity Society,
II. N. Owen. Publisher of the Farm,
Stock and Home, and many Of the
i congressman.
We produced sixty samples of light
wheat Of the 1919 crop and an equal
number of samples Of flour ground
| from. this grain. We contended that
| the prevailing prices on wheat were
entirely too low, that the spread" OF
price between No. / and No. wheat
was altogether too wide as the result
1 Of which the farmer became the VIC
| tim OF an unjust discrimination. We
argued further that the spread be-
| tween No. / and No. 8 wheats should
not exceed cents and that the prices
on No. 4 and No. 8 Wheats, respec-
| lively, should not be more than and
/ 10 cents under the No. price. It
was stoutly maintained that the light
/ er wheat weighing under 90 pounds
! q bushel was given very severe treat
ment By the buyers, In fact, there was
virtually partial conflscati0n Of the