The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-09-18

position ana ne ShOulO DE looked up 10
and not down upon. He should be sup
ported in the greatest measure. In
season or out of marketing
season, rain or shine, his doors are
open and he stands ready to serve the
farmers Of his community. And in this
connection would like to say word
against the support Of anyone who
would step outside of the regular
to ship his or his neighbours grain. AS
to the in-road the mail order house
may have upon our local merchants
as am opposed to the producer ship
ping his own grain, no matter what
quantity he raises. feel that l, with
other grain dealers at this station, am
entitled to handle all of the grain pro- !,
duced in this territory and am glad
to be in position to make this state
ment and take this stand. do not
think should mince matters. would
like to state that my company has
large investment in our elevator: we
have running expenses which must be
met, and the same is true of the other
elevators at this station. And because
we keep our houses open every work.
ing day of the year to serve this COM
munity we are entitled to the bust
ness. The fact that grain laying
half way between here and other sta
tions comes to Minot will always prove
to you, if you wish to be fair-minded,
that myself and other grain shippers
of this station are always paying the
highest world market price for grain.
Perhaps there is not another bust
ness as hazardous as the grain bust
ness, and the fact that there is no
other business conducted upon such
narrow margin of net profit will prove
to you that competition at this station
and all other stations is exceptionally
keen. Soaring freight rates = and,
speaking of freight rates by the way,
we now expect another big increase in
freight rates overnight. And if this
increase is made overnight, the higher
rate will come out of our pocket as
shippers-out of our legitimate mar
gin of profit and not the farmers, un-
til, of course, shipments Of grain pur-
chased after the announcement of the
rate. Many things may transpire
overnight to upset the trend of mar
ket prices whereby our margins are
wiped out. These things have to do
with ocean transportation; the cost of
employees; crop conditions, not only in |
the different sections of the grain belt
of the United States, but all Of the !
grain producing countries Of the world. !
Some new restrictions of the United |
States Grain corporation may lower |
values so that our entire margins are |
wiped out, or again, under the condi-
tions prevailing at this time, where
there is car shortage and we are un-
able to obtain an adequate number of
cars fit for grain, our elevator is full,
our capital is tied up-we are unable
to turn it overland we are deprived
temporarily of our earning capacity
and the future is not certain.
Country grain shippers are often
accused of taking Is or 20 cents per
bushel margin on grain. These cases,
can assure you, are extremely excep-
tional these days, but it is not unusual
when shippers lose as wide margin.
You will remember when the Food
Administration, winter before last,
took barley flour from the list of
wheat -four substitutes. That action,
which came overnight, caused reduc-
ton in prices of barley of Is cents
Many country elevators had thousands
Of bushels of barley on hand at that
time and suffered rs cents per bushel
! loss.
|. will now read you letter from the
office Of The Grain Bulletin, Mime
apolis, under date of September 10.
"The box car situation in the north
west is becoming very serious; eleva-
tors being blocked with wheat bought
at considerable premium over the
government basis, with no opportunity
of protection to the purchaser if he
cannot get it to the terminal before
these premiums disappear.
much of this car shortage is due to
the sending to the grain producing
territory of cars of eastern and south
ern roads unfit for grain loading; it
is reported that a large number of
empty cars are rejected by inspectors
at distributing points every day on
try--while at the same time it is also
reported that many cars of western
grain-carryinge roads are congesting
the side tracks in the east.
"If you are finding it difficult to OBJ
tang suitable empties; your house
filling up; the necessity for moving
| your wheat for which you have paid
a premium of from Is to SO cents,
and the placing for you Of cars unfit
for grain, we suggest that you place
the matter directly before the Hon.
Walter D. Hines, Director General of
Railroads, Washington, D. c., either
by wire or letter, expressing the mat
ter in your own language, with state
ment of facts as relating to you per-
sonally.
Cali cars loaded should be loaded
to maximum, in order to obtain the
greatest efficiency.
"Yours very truly,
''THE GRAIN BULLETIN"
Just imagine our asking Washing
ton, D. c., for cars; this is some more
4 of your government red tape.
i have not said anything about the
other line of my business, the grass
seed trade.
i Lying in the sunshine among the
buttercups and the dandelions Of May,