The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-17

atantially true. correct and proper.
4 copy OF the governors statement
Is hereto attached as part Of this
report. =, , ..,o -.
the state mill and elevator and per-
sonal representative Of the governor.
appeared before this committee and
attended upon all Its sessions and was
afforded every opportunity to make
any personal statement and to pre-.
sent any other witnesses on behalf Of
the governor he might desire. Mr..
statements to the committee which
helped to clear up the matters then
under consideration.
That Mr.. @. l.. Spencer. manager
Of the state mill and elevator. at the
as a witness before the committee
and under oath testified that the
findings. conclusions and recOmmen-
dattOns Of the fact-finding committee
were true and correct
mittee in support Of the sO-called
Poole audit. which purports to criti-
cize and contradict the report Of the
ct-finding committee.
THE fact-finding committee In its
two reports set forth number of
facts and circumstances showing the
method and manner in which the
management and operation of the
mill and elevator had been and was
n on da , sga ne s Amons 1925 o anq
things set forth In said report are
the following:
Committeess Findings
~. That during the year 1925
there was purchased by the mill and
elevator 2,oos.7so bushels OF wheat;
bushels were purchased from indi-
vidual farmers. In other words. that
IS per cent Of the. wheat purchased
was purchased from commission
houses as against about four per cent
purchased from farmers.
- That individual shippers and
farmers were paid materially less at
| the state mill and elevator at Grand
! Forks, North Dakota. than the value
Of their wheat at Minneapolis.
1926. the average costs Of all wheat
milled at the state mill and elevator
was nine and five eighths cents high
err than the average No. DARK
Northern, price at Minneapolis. or
expressed in another manner. for ths
calendar year 1925, the cost of al
wheat purchased at the state mill and
elevator was sixth and one-tenth pei
cent higher than No. Dark Northern
at Minneapolis. notwithstanding tina!
n large part Of the wheat purchased
by the state mill was of a lower
grade than No. Dark Northern, ant
consequently should have been pur
chased at much lower figure tina!
the average price for No. Darl
Northern. above quoted.
~. The fact-finding committee al
20 found az follows:
"'We find contracts for the pur
chase OF large quantities Quantities OF ,a,,, wnsa
Of Minneapolis. were entered into i.
the mill at prices relatively 4 cents
per bushel higher, according to thu
'ontracts. than the price paid to an.
other elevator or commission com
pAny for the same grade and protein
content on the same date. and tina
these prices were nearly always ia
In excess Of the highest priced ca
Of the same grade sold on the Mime
apolis market on the same day; an
1t should be borne in mind that owe
mately - per cent OF the entir
amount milled, WAS purchased frol
the - Grain company. !
some instances costing the mill seve
the highest priced car Of any kin
, Of wheat sold on the Minneapoll
/ market on the same date
1T is not disputed that the -
, company was favored In that til
, highest premiums were paid to then
Not Good Policy
AS far as we can determine. IL
tho highest market price, to MINI,
apolis commission companies. is NJ
} good public policy and 10 unnecessal
. In connection with the state MILL tt
, premiums to the -- compar
: and other companies is beneficial |
, | the growers seems to lack force. +
! the reason that tho con
} grain sold to the mill from line eli
IyQtor COmpQnies. The
) company made profits as high
) nine and three eighths cents p.
: bushel on wheat bought from z
! I'm this connection the audit r
port OF the state mill and elevate
. prepared by o. B. Lund, auditor Il
the state board OF auditors. Al
. testified to by Mr.. Q: + Spencer
! were 31S cars Of wheat sold by Il
. -- company to- the state mi
and elevator: that he made 9 detatl'
3 investigation from original sourc
With respect to 81 of Of such 3Sa cars srsrs e.
middleman's profit between the sta
} mill and the local country elevat
: from which said cars were purchas
: BY the -. company. on g
ssr s. ri su. s1s and eef that appy,
8 this basis Of middleman's profit
9 the whole SIS cars purchased fro
: the company alone won
amount to S37,31e.s4 profit: that Z
{ 81 cars just referred 70 were all
: the cars shipped from williste
n stanley and miscellaneous points
b that part Of the state. on which
\ could ret the detailed Information.
Fl About Feed Sales
2 -. The fact-finding report ~
4 Their says:
. I'm analysing the feed sales !
find that approximately half Of |
the feed Manufactured during
= calendar year Of 1925. was sold
d the company. Of Minneapol
le COMPANY. In the approximate amou
ID Of 1900 tons. was made mostly
i 50 cents ton less for pure bran tn
h the Minneapolis quotations on
= same date. and 81 per ton chea