UNEQUAL FIGHTS 



apoHs market. In other words, its function 

 was that of the grain broker, only honestly 

 performed, and it cut out the "wash" sales 

 and the mysterious medicaments of the ter- 

 minal elevator. 



To do this modest amount of business it 

 must operate through the Minneapolis Cham- 

 ber of Commerce, and I need not dwell on 

 the fact that it was there a most unpopular 

 institution. It did business on the co-opera- 

 tive basis and not for profits, always a deadly 

 fault in the view of the Chamber. 



In August, 1914, a stockholder in the 

 Equity was induced to bring suit to have 

 the books and papers of the concern exam- 

 ined. The money that paid for this examina- 

 tion was said to come from the Chamber of 

 Commerce — at least it was a paid accountant 

 of the Chamber that made the examination. 

 He reported the Equity to be insolvent. The 

 then attorney-general of North Dakota filed 

 a petition alleging insolvency, fraudulent 

 transactions, and the like, and asking the 

 court to enjoin the officers and appoint a re- 

 ceiver. With two or three exceptions all of 

 the affiants in these proceedings were mem- 

 bers of the Chamber of Commerce or in the 

 employ of members. WTien the case came to 

 be heard the court decided in favor of the 

 Equity, gave it a clean bill, and the attorney- 

 general's suit was dismissed. 



10 131 



