The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-03


ling, warehousing and even the shunt.
ing Of cars at the terminals was regu.
lated by them. No account was taken
lof protein. All the farmer had to dc
was to produce the wheat, deliver 1,
to the elevator and ask no ques-
lions.
Naturally wheat farmers became
Observation-Disclosures the mill and ele.
vator, thanks to Professor (later, u
s. Senator) Ladd for demonstrating
and emphasizing the value Of protein
Is q constituent In hard spring wheat
As long Is the mill and elevator
however. are under the control and
management Of politicians It will be
their football and its real value and
purpose made q secondary consider.
alton. They should be placed under
the control and management Of q
farmers organization, since farmer,
foot the bills, ultimately, for it and
for Ill other state educational insti-
tutions. For the mill and elevator
were established as farmers edu-
cational institution, not to prepare
young men and young women for sal
aired jobs, but to educate farmers and
the public as to the intrinsic value
Of North Dakota spring wheat for
bread making purposes - well q to
eliminate every form Of graft devils
ed by exploiting SPECTATORS such q
mixing, excessive dockage, price rig
ging, under-grading, etc., for then
and not until then, will the true value
OF the mill and elevator Be realized.
The mill and elevator, therefore,
should be considered . yardstick for
measuring the value Of wheat wholly
on it, merits, entirely independent Of
al speculative and gambling devices
AZ an educational institution Il 4
in . class with the experiment sta
tons and, occasionally, Is compar-
able With other educational 1nstt-
tutions.
The university, located near by,
represents millions Of money invested
in buildings and equipment and re-
ceives large sums annually, by ap-
preparation, for its maintenance.
Neither interest charges nor deprecia-
ton charges are levied against 1t.
However, the university influence IL
taken for granted. Its intrinsic bene-
fits cannot be measured, yet the tax
payers who support It believe, or
should believe, that in some unseen
way the influence Of the university
justifies what 1t costs. And It doesl
On the other hand the intangible
influence Of the mill and elevator a.
50 must be taken for granted. Much
Of It Is unseen, intangible. The ques-
ton =, what would Be the price Of
wheat II no such yardstick interfered
with speculative and exploitive prac-
tices that were in vogue when the
wheat combine was in absolute con-
trol7 When wheat farmers had no
defense?
Let 1t be admitted. however, that
tho mill and elevator have not proven
to be money makers when interest L
charged against their cost and their
depression l. exaggerated, to say
nothing about Encouragement, etc
And yet II the same interest and de-
probation charges were made against
the university It could scarcely exist
perhaps would have to b abandoned
In ordinary years the average wheat
crop Of North Dakota exceeds l00,-
000, 900 bushels. Moreover, II the In
fluence Of tho mill and elevator as
correcter Of evils long complained Of
by erstwhtle wheat growers (who con-
tended that they were mulcted out Of
ct least ten cents Q busheD and which
can only be corrected by some prac-
tical measure In self defense-if, In.
stead Of ten cents . bushel, only five
cents additional Is realized - against
what they would have received under
the former regime, that would in
crease the wheat farmers income by
IS, 900 10000. And yet this vast sum
comes unseen and g invisible as the
influence accredited to IN education
al institution. Each farmer would
receive 4 small increase-only five
cents ! b,lshel. yet In the aggregate
an immense sum Is realised and made
available for farmers to spend foz
lumber, machinery and household
Necessities.
But suppose the influence Of the
mill and elevator should only advance
the price Of wheat one cent . busnel
and lower tho price Of flour percep-
tibly, still they justify the wisdom Oh
the state for their establishment.
The purpose Of this letter Is not "a
|create controversy but to call atten-
ton to the possible and probable un-
seen influence Of the mill and eleva-
tor Is . defensive measure-a cor
rector Of abuses which would other
wise be practiced upon wheat farm
ers.
cannot prove that from one to ten
million dollars would annually remain
within the state II al unjust exploita-
ton was eliminated-neither can you
disprove It. The probabilities. how
ever. are Ia favor Of Ut least one cent
increase In the price Of wheat result