The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-12-03

1t Is our misfortune to differ with our neigh
,ors Of the Herald, upon many questions of gov
eminent and municipal policy. and we do not
know how to account for this difference of opin-
ion, unless il be that they confound the idea OF
agitation, with that of refusns and masjndge the
motives of men, or that we mistake alto .ether
the operation of laws and the benefits WHICH So
ciety is to derive from them. We admire an
original and progressive mind, when its faculties
are exercised in advancing the liberties and en-
hancing the blessings of society; but we cannot
eadily appreciate the force of that logic, which
would reform the laws of society, by multiplying
its evils and increasing the responsibilities and
burdens Of It's members
For few days past, ifre editors of the Herald
have been condoling with the citizens upon anu-
SEES practiced upon them, by our millers and
wood venders One would think, from their
language, that the men engaged in these two
branches of business, are regular set OF sharks,
endcavoring to practice gigantic system OF
fraud upon the community They say, SIN .he
name Of The people, zee demand tint a -four III
spector BE- appoiated" If this demand, So bold
ly made in the name of the people, had been
preceded by any evidences offraud on the com
muniiy, or would have tendency to remove the
evils complained of, then would we most cor
daily join them in crusade against these men
But are the editors ignorant of the fact, that
this inspection system, has been repudiatrd in
all the principal marts of the country, as un-
necessary precautlon, resulting in species of
peculation and favoriteism, immeasuraby worse
than the evils sought to be removed? Go to
New York, Boston, Phlaf elphi,, New Orleans
and st. Louis, and you will find that scarcely
any attention is paid to the inspection Of flour,
unless party has lot of poor flour and desires
to pass it off with the inspectors brand, as good.
Merchants receiving -four, look to the brand of
the mill, and not to the Inspector for their guar
antee. If the flour is good, it enhances the
credit of the manufacturer, and if bad, it de-
tracts from his reputation. II is, therefore, for
the pccuniary interest of the manufacturer, if he
has no higher motive for action, to make and
evidence of the quality of flour, tor where they
are examining large lots of flour, the process is
so rapid, that ten chances to one, if the eye ever
obtains a minute examination of the sample
And if it did, there is not one man in ten thou
sand, that possesses such an acute discrimina-
ton, to detect the nice shades of difference in
superfine -four. This con only be done by the
process of making into bread.
| But let us come to the subject as applicable
to our own locality. 1t is familiar to every one
IN the West, that we have bad most unfavora-
bic season for crops, and that our wheat crop has
especially suffered with smut, rust, spot, mill
dew and other diseases peculiar to the wheat
and the season Is it strange then, that the far
mer, who raises and vends the whea', the miller
who buys and manufactures it into -four, and the
consumer, should be occasionally deceived in
the quality of it? But to protect the consumer
| and the reputation of their mills, our manufac-
turers of flour in this city, give the consumer the
privilege of returning bad flour, and receiving
good in its place, or the money paid for it,with-
out any extra charge. Here is an absolute pro-
lection to the consumer against loss. But sup
pose we have an Inspector, authorized by law to
pass upon all flour sold in the city, and he
brands as good, an inferior article, would the
consumer have any right or claim upon the man.
ufacturer to make good the loss'
Again-if you appoint an Inspector of flour
and wood, You should appoint an Inspector of
meat, vegetables, fish. fowls, eggs, groceries,
and indeed every thing consumed by the people
We look upon this thing a magnificent
humbug, calculated to increase the officers of
the city, and the taxes of The people, without in
return affording any essential benefit to the COM
munity.