Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-18
STATE CONTROLLED
WHEAT TERMINALS
URGED BY EXPERT
Would Keep Grain Arteries
Open Through Large Out
side Centers.

Hetena. Dec. 17.-(By The Associ-
ated prcssl.-Legislation which would
enable Montana to own and manage
grain storage space within the state
and to lease and manage grain storage
SPACE ut Minneapolis is recommended
by Commissioner of Agriculture
Chester &. Davis. in the annual report
of the state department Of agriculture
TO Governor J. NJ. Dixon.
In urging the necessity for such
legislation Commissioner Davis said:
Legislation is pending in congress
intended to provide OF eredit
for farmers while they are attempting
to market crops to their satisfaction.
The nationwide interest In agricultural
welfare at the preesnt time adds TO
the probability that some such RELIEF
will be afforded. That is a federal
matter. The states responsibility is 70
see that such a safe system OF ware
housing is provided that Montana grain
farmers mi Immediately be in position
to take advantage of the opportunity
to replace existing debts with loans
more nearly fitted TO their need and
ability TO pay.
Changes in the laws regulating
grain storage recommended in this re
port aim at a great measure of safety
in handling grain storage, but the
problem that will be presented by fed
eral credit legislation can not be met
by such changes alone.
Element of Risk
las long as grain elevators are per
mitted to ship out and sell stored
.t.. 49,, h1n,, ri., -rantoa nf
many elevators in the spring wheat
states, there will always be a certain
element of risk in grain warehouse re-
ceipts, and to a certain extent the
purpose of storage, which is 10 keep
wheat off the market for the time be-
ing. is defeated.
"On the other hand. a strict re-
quirement that each elevator must keep
en- hand an amount of grain equal to
its storage liability tends TO bring
about a rapid congestion of stored
grain in the country houses that re-
stricts the states grain handling
capacity.
THE proper place to store grain
that the owenr does not desire to sell
Immediately is on the farm, If che
grain could be inspected. graded and
held or the farm under seal, with re
ceipts outstanding against it thar
would be acceptable as collateral by
the War Finance corporation or such
federal agency as may be created To
administer the proposed new forms of
farm credits, 3 great deal of the pres
ent trouble owe grain w~arehousing,
congestion in elevators and car short
age during the fall months might be
avoided. Nebraska has passed such a
l nYts ,Fts.sh taA ,4N I.a,
subjected to n real test of usage by
the farmers of Nebraska.
To avoid congestion of stored grain
in public warehouses, and to safeguard
the owner of the wheat in his title to
wheat of commercial value equivalent
10 that of the grain he delivered in
storage, the state of Montana should
interest itself to create storage oppor-
tuntities to which grain stored in public
elevators could be moved and held in
storage under the direction of the
state, until the owner desired to sell it.
Such a system should work to the
advantage Of both farmer and elevator
man.
Terminal Storage
1T will be remembered that the
people of Montana authorized the con-
struction of n ferfufnHl storage ele-
vator at Great Falls. which the supreme
court of Montana later held was with-
in the power of the state. Bonds were
never sold for this purpose. probably
because of the slow demand for bonds
at that time. and because of the cues
ton that arose oyer the exact mean
ing Of the term agricultural lands
that were to bear a tax for the pay-
ment of principal and interest on -he
bonds.
If. in addition to the construction
or purchase of storage capacity within
Montana, the state would authorize the
lease of storage space at Minneapolis,
tie sale of stored wheat by a ware
houseman might then be strictly pro-
hibited. The manager of a country
elevator, when it became desirable to
move stored grain to provide room for