Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-18
TIE INSPECTION OF FLOUR AND DIRECT
TRADE.

TRADE.
proposition s before the Legislature I" aieF ''o
long .esta bshed system of the commonwealth III re-
latou 70 the inspection OF flour. II an inspection Is
necessary at all, i, should bo compulsory. Ihe pro-
posed change is TO make optional, whether Hour, n
tended for expectation, shall DO inspected or not.
Wspd by reference to the that the inspec
ZION Of R,ur was first required by act Of Assembly
psssed in HAS This inspection was then established
in connection with that Of other articles In ESl
ss,,r.t. inspection Of -four was established, aud the
prea,ub, to the bin clearly states tue reasons Tor al
alteration Of the old system:
.whs,.as the law now in force for the inspection
of aour ia found insufficient for giving due encou'
rase,n.nt to so valuable branch of our c"mnierce'
in Guarding against abussi and as sUuiu poloy TO-
cu-es that our flour truds should be put upon re-
sueutabls footing, which can ouy be doue ny estao-
fishing such regulations as will prevent tho lnsnufac.
urar from bringing market any flour that win mol
,sss the public inspection with credit, OF ente tae
incrchan, to preference III every foreign market
| "lIe it therefore enacted, &C.
In 1919 the system established in Hsi Was retained
in the Code and u lS49 no alteration was suggested
by the revisors.
Und.r the system, Virginia -four has taken the high
est rank In the market, oi the world. New York be-
sau to tinker OH the subject, aud in lSlS altered Der
law 81 Us to abolish the office Of sworn Inspector anu
peru,it any man TO act ns an Inspector Inc resu'.
has been to depreciate tho standard OF the nour ci
tha, State: ami The position whchtthas lost oreiSn
markets. in the opinion Of those who ought 70 kho"
bust, cannt. be again attained until the oe Sompulso-
! ry system is re-rstut tlishsd.
In 1853. memorial was presented to the Leglsla.
ture Of Maryland, praying the establishment ot q
/ i,,li ,,,fa vnr 4,
appointed by the Executive, and responsible ther.'"
for the proper discharge of their duties. lne COM
m:tr, to whom the sut ect was REFERRED III report
dispayiry an Intimate knowledge Of the question, re-
ported adversely TO the proposed change. An Ok
tract from their report will show one Of the grounds
Of their denial Of the prayer Of the memor'alsts:
"Your committee presume that the Legislature IS
not preuared tn abandon the principle upon whicn Ill
inspection systcrs bassd. lh"t prncipie IS con
ccird Il, be this that it s necessary to the
of both the buyer dud seller that there shou'o oe a"
honest aud competent judge, somewhere anu spme'
how, authorized by law, 10 decide upon ihe qua.n
of the nerrhaiiize offered f'r sale 1t IA anniversary
admited that the Judge arbitrator should be aos"
lutey impartial. The question then arises on 'n'
threshold OF the enquiry how can that DC oesI eneT'
, | .dl The usxer s Ubvuus-Uy rendering MIN mus
pendent II cannot be denied that inspectors, ap
p.u,sd by the State, and responsible TO the appolnt
ing power alone, must necessarily be independents
nave no absolute nOtlVe lsilOfl VI
corrupton) 10 favor either the buyer or seller; as
their official acts and the incomes uf their offices car
be controlled by neither. They depend upon no on
for patronage, and are answerabe to none but IN.
constituted authorities Of the State, excepting IL
OF false inspection, where they can be made Il
answer, on their ooncs to parties receiving damage
thereby. 1t is perfectly manifest thar licensed
Inspector will depend upon the caprces or selhstnest
vi the trader for his employment and LIVELIHOOD" anC
that the great body Of the people, who are the pur
chasers, exercise practical restraint ovei
him. lie must become the ag'"t vi the seller rather
au the professor Of the consumer, or the umpire De-
tween both. This is argument which VIII al once
strike the apprehension OF every man.
The reasons assigned by tho Maryland COMMITTEE
against the change from the present to tae Incense
system will apply with equal or stronger force 10 Int
chang. proposed 10 Virginia from he compulsory u
N. voluntary system. II the officer is dependent
r,on III. rood will or caprice Of his employer ht
will naturally do his utmost to increase the patronhg'
OF bis office. The effect wonld inevitably Do [" oe
s,roy uqijoymHy in inspections, It It od not c"u''
the advantages at present derived there'on' 10 ot
lost entirely, by causing four of inferior quai'y Il
be marked with brand which 1t was not ch'"'eu u
Nothing would tend more to retard tue cohsu"'i'
ton of the favorite object of the conmerca' pof''
OF the Virginia population, namely, direct oreiS'
,-,de ,hnu an alteration in present sysein. ln'
inspec,ion of aour, as pursued now, has given cha
ra,ter TO Virginia -FOUR in the markets OF the woro
enjoyed by none other; and it can he seen oy Fe'e'
ence 10 the prices curren; OF Liverpool anu we"
York that the -four OF this State is worth onee'gh''
or one.fuurth uf dollar than other Hour. VIZ
,beuld hesitate before assent TO any change IN 'h'
present law.