THE STORY OF THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE 



Mr. Benjamin Drake of Minneapolis, who 

 has done much by his painstaking investiga- 

 tions to clear the whole subject of grain ma- 

 nipulation, once gave this testimony before 

 the Rules Committee of the national House 

 of Representatives: 



Another abuse practised by the Minneapolis elevator 

 and milling combine is closely linked with the state 

 system of weighing grain. Under the present system 

 of state weighing two kinds of scales and two distinct 

 methods of weighing are permitted. One consists of 

 weighing the grain in car-load lots upon a track scale. 

 The car of grain is jBrst weighed "heavy" upon the 

 scale. The grain is taken out and the car is weighed 

 empty. The difference between the two weights ob- 

 tained represents the weight of the wheat in the car 

 accurately and, practically, with no chance of error. 

 This system, according to all information which I have 

 been able to obtain, is not used at more than one- 

 third of the terminal elevators and the great mills of 

 Minneapolis. At the remaining elevators and mills 

 another system is employed which almost always re- 

 sults in a loss of weight to the shipper. Under the 

 practice last referred to the grain is lifted in quantities 

 of perhaps a hundred bushels at a time to the cupola 

 of the mill or elevator, where a small scale is installed. 

 Under this method the grain is usually carried one or 

 two hundred feet from the car. Some of the grain is 

 usually lost to the shipper in the transaction. Some- 

 times the amount is so small that it is negligible. At 

 other times it is considerable in amount. Aside from 

 the mechanical imperfection of the system it affords 

 considerable opportunity for dishonest manipulation. 

 The method of weighing last referred to is an injustice 



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