The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-01-28
The Grain Inspection Law


1t has always been a question, with a
plain. thinking class of the community, whose
business comes in direct contact with the
Grain Inspection laws of the State, whether
all laws which compel buyer and seller to
employ third party, to measure and weigh
grain, without having any option in the mat
ter, were not an imposition on the private
rights of individuals, without affording any
protection whatever to the owner.
In the city of Baltimore the law requires
an Inspector General of Grain to take charge
Of and weigh all grain arriving in that market
in vessels, with fixed price for the weighing,
etc. The owner is not left free to employ
whom he pleases at n price agreed upon by
the parties who are solely interested in the
transaction. Outside of the city of Balt-
more, the producer and purchaser make
their own contract, and ascertain the amount
of grain by whatever mode they think prop
er, without the interposition of Il third party,
appointed by the State, to take toll for his,
perhaps, unwi>hcd for services.
have never heard of the producer complain.
ing of being defraudcd by the purchaser, in
weight or measurement, although not placed
under oath or bonds to deal flirly--thc eye
of the owner or seller being better security
Tor his interest, than any legal forms that
can be prescribed.
But the object Of Grain Inspection laws,
if we understand them Alright, is not so much
to secure the farmer or shipper of grain
against traud-ior he can guard against that
by viglancc-as means to produce revenue
for the State The law, therefore. is to be
viewed as tax upon commerce, rather than
a protection to the producer. When a tax
law, having for its primary object the pro-
duction of revenue, is laid upon the industry
of the State, it is all important that it effect
the object for which it was designed, and
when law is found by experience to fail in
this essential, it should at once be repealed.
A tax law that brings nothing into the treas
ury of the State, and produces no more
than is sufficient to compensate the officers
who are appointed to administer it, is moth
ing better than a sinecure, as far as the pub
lie is concerned.
From the following reference, by the
Comptroller, in his last Report to the Grain
Inspection law, it would seem to be one of
those kind of revenue laws, which pay the
officers very WE'LL but not cent to the treas,
ury:
The receipts from the inspection Of Grain have in
creased since the modification of the original law
made on the sth day of March, 1864. Although not
sufficient to pay the salaries of the officers in fall. it
has been such to warrant the probability that after
| our commercial difficulties shall have ended rcvcn-
ne will be received more than sufficient to pay all ex
pcns"s and salaries. The gross amount of receipts
returned for the fiscal year of Sdi. S6,435.9o from
which, after dcducting sSSli3 for expenses there was
left applicable to the payment of the salaries of the
| Inspector General and four Inspectors sj,j9l.9l
What ground the Comptroller has for sup
posing that the receipts from inspection of
grain will increase after "our commercial diff.
| ticultics shall have ended" beyond what they
are, and have been during the past year,
from the Sth Of March to tire present time,
we are not advised.
| We have not the data at hand to compare
the shipment of grain to the city of Balti,
l
more for that period with corresponding
period in former years, but are led to believe
that, owing to the additional demand which
the wants of Government create, that it has
been rather in excess than below. The pres
ent Grain Inspection law of Baltimore, would
seem to operate more as a government mo-
nopoly which taxes the farmer without pay
ing anything to the treasury of the State
The present Legislature should examine into
the operations of this, as well as all similar
laws, and if found as the Comptrolers Re-
port would seem to indicate, to advantage
only the officers employed to execute the
law, let the Grain Inspection law and all
similar laws be at once swept from the stat,
ute book. In the name of the agricultural
interests of the State we protest against that
heavily burthcned interest being taxed for
any other purpose than to provide revenue
for the State. Laws that provide salaries
only for officers are intolerable nuisances
and an imposition upon honest industry.