The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-13
Says Better Condition Exists
at State Plant Now Than
Ever Before - Wants Com
mittee to Determine Where
There Has Been Any Dis.
honesty in Conduct of Mill

Presenting his ideas regarding
the state mill and elevator in great
er detail than was done in his
message to the legislature, Cover
nor A. C. Sorlie today appeared be-
fore the special Joint committee APP
pointed to considered his message.
The executive read formal
statement to the committee. 1t fol-
lows:
II have been invited to make u
statement before the joint commit
tee which has been appointed to
consider my message to the special
session of the legislature.
"The first thing. perhaps. that
your committee would like to know
is why called the special session.
There are several reason mentioned
in my message, but, primarily, it
was for the purpose of clarifying
some Of the insinuations made by the
newspapers Of the state in miscon-
STRUNG the report of The fact-find-
ing committee. I have no quarrel
with the fact-finding committee. 1t
was the purpose of that committee
to ascertain, If possible. the mill and
elevator losses for 1926.
"From statements that appeared
In different newspapers the. infer
ence has been made not only Of mis-
takes in judgment, but the integ-
rity of myself and Of men in charge
of the mill and elevator was at
tackled. l deem it the function of
this communities to determine
whether in their opinion there has
been any dishonesty in the conduct
of the mill and elevator affairs, and
If in their opinion. after study Of
the reports and after listening to
the men directly in char Of the in
stitution, the affairs were honestly
conducted, feel in justice to them
and to my administration that COM
0ittce should so report.
Has Confidence in Buyers
Fl have been in business for
ntnber of years AM have made lots
of mistakes, and expect that will
make lot more mistakes while l
am Il business; but, it is from mis-
l6hG4 NIlAL We OlLCI AniS ID
true u the losses of 1926.
"The men who were in direct
charge Of the purchasing of wheat
and the selling Of flour were men in
whom / haze implicit confidence.
Their judgment in the purchasing of
wheat and the selling of flour was
pretty much the same as the judg-
ment Of otter millers ant wheat
buyers durl e the same period.
They followed pretty much the
same course that had been followed
in prior years at the mill and ele-
vator. However, there is no line of
business that does not have to make
some changes in methods at times.
"Thc suggestions made by the
fact-finding committee were very
good, and / have worked into them
just as fast it has been possible to
change over the method of doing
business. Even before the fact-find-
ing committee report was made in
the summer Of 1926 l had a man go
out amongst the farmers elevators
and Independent elevators to solicit
their business, and in doing this the
terminal elevator at Grand Forks
was we'll filled with stored grain a
month or two after threshing start
ed, and this is the first time in the
history of the terminal elevator that
the grain people back in the country
used the terminal elevator for stor-
age.
Wants to Buy Grain Locally
1T has been my intention ever
since / took charge Of the mill to
buy our grain locally, and for this
reason at the session Of 1925 | ask
ed the legislature to pass law cre-
ating a terminal grain market at
Grand Forks. AS business men,
you wiz realize that this cannot be
done over night. and we got no par
ticular results from our terminal ele-
vators and terminal grain market
until the fall Of 1926. The results
have been a great deal better during
the fall of 1927.
"Grain people, whether they are
local elevators or individual ship
pers, must be educated along GER
tain lines. This is very slow
process, but / feel that from now
on we will be able TO purchase prac-
tically all of our grain from such
sources, and will not have to go be-
fore the commission men in Mime
apolis to buy any grain that they
may have back in the states.
"You will have before your com.
mittee Mr.. Bell, the present grair
buyer, and l am sure that he viii
be able to explain to you just how
this method is working out, ane
how he hopes to have it work out.
Why He Changed Buyers
"The former wheat buyer, Mr.
. school. He had handled grain fo
IS years in the old way, and it wa
impossible for him to visualize thu
new methods Of marketing. Their
is not the least question about hi
honesty, but his early training go
him IN . rut SO that he could no
get out, and for that reason I wa
Obliged to make . change in buyer
ct the elevator.
ssYou will have before your com
mittee Mr.. Spencer, the miller an
manager Of the state mill. MI
Spencer il ! high class miller, ha
BEEN in the business for . numbe
L of years, and am sure that he WI!
4 ~ able to explain to you all the dit
+ Gcult3es pertaining to the milIinl
industry, the purchasing OF wheat
H ale Of feed, and the sale o
nur 81 eastern territory.
I I have called your attention in m
81 5000 - the impossible audit sit
1tioo - to mill and elevatot. froI
= ri oticoI buIiness point Of view..
61iefk 1onr cooperation and vi
4 4 IN - = EeuR suegeetious q work
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