UNEQUAL FIGHTS 



in business for myself in St~ Paul and they 

 knew I was all right. Nevertheless, I went 

 with my heart in my mouth. It did not seem 

 possible that anything could save us. But I 

 went in and told my friend how I was fixed, 

 and he said, * Certainly, George, you can have 

 what you need/ ' 



By such a narrow margin was the enter- 

 prise saved from the rocks. After a time the 

 St. Paul banks grew rusty, and one after 

 another refused the business. The Exchange, 

 practically driven out of Minneapolis by the 

 influence of the Chamber, meantime had 

 moved to St. Paul. It occurred to some of 

 the keen merchants there that it would prob- 

 ably develop into a valuable asset. Already 

 it was talking about a co-operative elevator 

 to be built in the city. These merchants put 

 a pressure upon any bank that was likely to 

 prove hostile, and again the Equity moved 

 forward. 



With its development increased also the 

 hatred it had aroused as an institution not 

 conducted for profits. It was now assailed 

 with a charge that must be fought clear to 

 the legislature of Minnesota, the Congress of 

 the United States, and the state courts, that 

 the Equity was not a genuine business enter- 

 prise, but tricked farmers to ship it grain, 

 which it turned over, while in transit, to 

 Chamber of Commerce brokerage houses, and 



137 



