The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, August 10, 1916, Page 8

st o S /,.,—‘—-v»..,...* LR A’. g IR RN Sharks Are Hungry , (By Leader Staff Correspondent) INNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 7. —“It 'is expected that the blight and black rust may make necessary some import- : ant revision “of the grain grading standards.” This announcement from chamber of commerce sources has caused consider- able anxiety here and in St. Paul among those who are waging the fight against the grain combine and who are looking out for the farmers’ interests. In fact, every indication is that the grain trust is preparing for another big scoop and that, as usual, Mr. Farmer will be the goat. The above announcement is taken as the advance notice of an impending attempt to use the prevalence of ryst in the wheat districts -this year as an excuse to frame some new, special grad- ing rules that will result in seriously cutting into the price producers will . receive for their product. MILLERS HAVE RESOLVED .TO FIND MUCH LOW GRADE Here is some more from one of the organs of the chamber of commerce that practically clinches the case and makes it necessary for the farmers of Minne- “sota and North Dakota to be on their - guard: ! “Indications are that the quantity of low grade wheat unfit for milling pur- -poses that will move into Minneapolis "and Duluth and other inspection points _in the state, when the present crop has been harvested, will exceed the quantity "of low grade wheat from the crop of 1915 " In other words, this is taken to mean ,that the big millers, working with and through the chamber of commerce, are '\preparing, with suitable advance pub- licity, to make the way clear for import- ant changes in the grading rules, for the benefit of the millers ‘and other wheat buyers. Notice that the statement says that more than the usual amount of _wheat “unfit for milling” is expected to “reach Minneapolis this fall. The expected shortage in the wheat crop, due . to widespread rust, summer floods and " other adverse conditions, promises to ' give the farmer an unusually good price . for his grain on the present crop. But the millers are going to try to offset this . condition favorable to the farmer by manipulating the grading rules, to lower the grades and reduce the farmers’ price by a scare that the rust and blight will considerably cut down the value of the wheat that is to be marketed shortly. ZVWILL GO BEFQRE BOARD TO ASK GRADE CHANGES How do the chamber of commerce, the millers and the grain buyers propose to get this change in grading rules? They boldly propose to get it from the Minne- ‘ sota state board of grain appeals, which +has the power to make the change and ’whxch will hold a meeting in Minne- P‘apolls shortly It is fully expected that {the grain combine will advance argu- tments for the change, and they stand'a i'good chance of getting it. Under section * 4452 of the Minnesota law this board of "appeals has power to describe the kind ‘of wheat that comes under the different Fgrades. In fact this board has all the iau(:hor:fl:y necessary, without act of the f legislature, to make the grading rules " of Minnesota what it pleases, and it is \;required to meet every year to alter, r'take away from or add to the gradmg | rules to meet the conditions of the incom- mg crop. These meetings always have i been perfunctory and no substantial ,.changes have ever been made in the _zules except at times like the present, “when the millers see a chance of getting a special provision in for one crop, on the excuse of a frosted or rusted crop. There are precedents for the asking of rule changes such as the present threat- - ened one. 'Some years ago the millers : and chamber of commerce members tried - to prevail on the board 'of appeals to . make special rules covering a crop . which had been hit generally by an early frost. The frost, it was proved at - that time, did not materially affect the . value of the wheat for milling, but it - made an excuse for an attempt to get v YOU Can t Afi'ord to MlSS the OSSR S S AN 1 Chamber of Commerce Makes Ready"fo 1‘_""”“‘ "‘";::;to New Gouge by Change i in Grade Rules frosted wheat graded substantially lower lmows are grossly unfair to him, have than was warranted. Through lack of organization of Mm- nesota grain farmers no attempt has ever been made “to have farmers represented at the ‘annual meetings of the board of grain appeals, when the grades are supposed to be fixed for the crop of the current year. never made any attempt to call farmers in at these annual conferences, and the conferences have never been adequately advertised among the farmers. Conse- quently the board has heard only the millers’ and chamber’s side of it and the The board has - been perpetuated from year to year, except for minor changes and changes to meet special eondxhons like frost or rust years. A LACK OF ORGANIZATION ' . HURTS MINNESOTA FARMERS > ‘While North Dakota and South Dakota wheat must be marketed through Minne- sota terminals and hence be subject to Minnesota grading rules, North and South Dakota farmers would have little or no standing before the Minnesota present grades, mare which bore them. years old and healthy horsee. T which every farmer Rust, Blight and Hail Storms Have Cut Down the Crop in the Northwest This Year to a Fraction of Normal. The Farmers Will Suffer a Tremen- dous Loss, but the Grain Gamblers Are Going to Get Theirs, or Know the Reason Why. Read in This Story - How the Chamber of Commerce Plans to Manipulate the Grading Rules so as to Snatch Prosperity for the Wheat - Shark out of Ruin for the Farmer. Twin Colts On North Dakota-Farm The plcture was taken in 1911, MODERNIZING THE THOUGHT OF JUDGES - (Editorial in Cooperators’ Herald.) The farmers pohtlcal movement has @accomplished some very definite things. ' - Among them is what seems to many a. paramount thing—the possibilities of getting the supreme court lined up to-think in terms of today rather . than in terms of the lost ages. That’s mighty important—something really desirable. - The farmers are not looking for judges who will side with them .in decisions; not at all. What they want to kmow is that a decision is based upon an intelligent comprehension of the’ facts coupled with a desire to do justice according to the standard of today—not according to precedure in the days ‘of the feudal barons. _They’re gomg to stick like sixty for the right kind of a court. ‘They are going to see that. justice is done. When they are satisfied that they haye accomphshed the first step by electing as judges men who have no secret affiliations with interests who profit by medieval decisions. they will have done all they expect to do with the courts—except to see that the men who go wrong are yanked off the bench. The farmers beheve in the pnnexple of the recall,” : Even the:recall of Judges—though the men elected may be the very men they selected. That's all—but: that’s a mxghty lot when you compare it with present : conditions.’ board of appeals when it comes to fixing .TIVES BEFORE THE BOARD OF Gustay Anderson of Bnfl‘alo sends this picture of a pair of twm colts and the The twins are now five chamber anr?ll millers get away with a_ theboudtosemtenotmlyjnsheeforl themselvee,bnt!orallthefarmers of the northwest. - This Minnesota farmers have beefl " unable to do, on account of lack of organ- ization and lack of united voting power.‘ The fact that most of the sources of] news and newspapers in the Twin (hhes are dominated by the Chamber of Com- merce and allied influences, also has worked to prevent Minnesota fanners getting justice for themselves and the' producers of other states in the ane-' sota terminals. The Minnesota farmers have simply had no way of getting true and undoctored news and facts that would enable them to make the necessary, protest. How little the board ef appeils has sought the advice and help of the farmers in framing its grading rules, and how those rules are framed entirely, - on the advice and help of the milling mterests, was shown conclusively not long ago in testimony taken before the Minne- sota legislative inquiry into the grain trust. - A. E. Evenson, who had served eight years on the board of appeals, was on the witness stand. SOME ILLUMINATING FACTS “ABOUT GRADE FIXING “Do you call anybody in for conference regarding the fixing of grading rules’" he was asked. - “Yes. The meetings are always open " meetings,” was the reply, “and ‘I think we have always extended an invitation ' to the railroad and warehouse commis- sion, the chief inspector, the-deputy inspector, AND POSTED NOTICES IN ! THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND BOARD OF TRADE.” “Do you give notice to dealers as well “as the board of inspectors"" “Yes, sir.” “The ELEVATORS AND MILLERS PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFER- ENCES?”" : “YES, SIR.” “They make their representations to youqu : “Yes, sir.” “DO YOU - KNOW OF ANY - INSTANCES. WHERE THE SHIPPERS THEMSELVES HAD REPRESENTA- ' APPEALS WHEN. THE BOARD WAS . CONSIDERING THE MATTER OF GRADES AND RULES?” “Whom do you mean by the shxppers a4l “I"MEAN ANY ASSOCIATION OR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRO- DUCERS, THE FARMERS?” _ “I DO NOT RECALL ANY.” In the eight years this man had been on the board of appeals that fixes the rules under which grain shall be graded and sold in Minnesota he had no recol- lection of a farmer or farmers’ represent- ative ever having been heard on one of the most vital questions afl‘ectmg the price the farmer is to receive for his toil. He testified that these rules had been fixed at conferences of millers, elevator men, members of the chamber of - commerce and grain inspection officials! “ FARMERS’ CROP IS AT - ~MERCY OF-GAMBLERS - The farmer has had no voice in detere mining the vital question of grain grades, = E .. and apparently the board and chamber of commerce do not want him to. have any. This member: of the board_ ‘testi- fied the meeting at which rules are fixed : is advertised annually only among elevator men, grain ins THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.. ‘What show have Minnesota farmers to get . justice for themselyes and. the farmers of other states who must market their grain under Minnesota grades when such conditions prevail? Will the pectors - and = millers and BY NOTICES POSTED IN .~