New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-09-24
Plan for lisp ctino and Grading
Wheat.

SIS The Pioneer Press in recent issue
suggests the following outlines for q
law to regulate the grading Of wheat.
As this question is of much importance
to our farming community we repro
duce the article in full:
The absence Of any uniform stand
ard OF grain inspection or system Of
handling grain in elevators in Mime
sofa and Dakota has been the source of
widespread satisfaction among the
farmers. Under the present system,
or rather absence of system, it is
claimed that farmers are compelled to
sell their wheat at from three to ten
cents per bushel below its market
value, and it is also claimed that adj
vantage is taken by the elevator men
in the matter Of weights; that unjust
deductions are made on account of foul
seeds and other foreign matter in the
wheat as it is brought to market; and
FINALLY, that it is impossible to have
competition or an open market against
the wishes Of those who operate the
elevators at local points. Every
branch of commercial business should
stand on its own merits, and every VIC
lation Of good sound and fair CONNER
cial law must necessarily work on in
jury to,some one of those concerned
in the transaction. Without going in
to the merits or dement's of the various
claims of the farmers or elevator men,
the fact that 60,00O,OO0 or 40, 600, 600
bushels of wheat have to be handled
annually from the hands of the farmers
in Minnesota and Dakota, through ele-
vators to the market, is enough to call
for thorough and well devised system
that wonldlput it entirely outside of
and beyond the power Of any man, or
set Of men, to do anything in connec-
ton with the handling of grain in ele-
vators that will deprive one man of
what rightfully belongs to him for the
benefit Of another.
The farmers are entitled to receive
pay for the full a,nountof the sveight
and the quality Of the property they de-
tsVer at ats far market Vala1e, and when
they have got this they should ask for
no more. On the other hand the cOnn-
try elevator man is entitled to receive
at the principal shipping markets such
. uniform grade, based upon a legal
standard Of inspection, as will make a
bushel of No. wheat honestly inspect
ed at any interior point of equal grade
at Duluth, Minneapolis or St. Paul. To
secure this there should be
"First-A board of warehouse and
elevator commissioners, whose duty it,
would be to consider all matters affect
ing the handling Of grain in elevators,
and especially to spend ten days of
each month from the first of September
until the first of March in session at the
capital of the state, at which time and
place they would hear all complaints
and make such decisions and recon-
mendations as they thought best This
commission should have the power to
remove all inspectors for cause, and
when in their judgement it is necessary
to do so, to close any elevator and to
instruct the attorney general to bring
suit for any violation OF or refusal to
comply with the law.
.'Second- each 100 miles of rail-
way there should be state grain in
spector, whose duty it would be to Wis
it as often as once every week or ten
days, at a stated time, each station on
the line under his charge, and to see
that all elevators in his district were
provided with such appliances and IA
cilities as were necessary under the
law. He should also decide any dis
pute as to the grades Of grain ut the
different elevators occurring during his
absence, all this decision to be subject
to appeal to the board of commission
ers. The law should provide for q
standard grade of grain, which should
be uniform as to the respective quail
tiles at every point in the state.
''Third- All elevators doing business
with the public should be provided with
an apparatus or scale, to be inspected
and sealed by the local grain Inspector.
is opened, so that grain could run out
of il; also when it is closed. This
would prevent any temptation to avoid
giving correct weight.
Fourth elevator should have
an approved cleaning apparatus, to the
end that when any dispute arose as to
the grade from dirty wheat, the party
selling the wheat could have the prive-
lege Of having it cleaned on floor
space sufficient to hold his load and to
keep the seed or tailings seperate, SO
that the farmer might take the tailings,
if he thought them Of any value, in his
bags. This cleaning could be done at
a low cost say one-half cent per bushel.
which would amount to only Is cents
for load Of fifty bushels. This would
prevent any unreasonable dockage for
dirty wheat.
4.Fifth-In case of any dispute as to
the correct grade of wheat, fair SAM
pie of the load in dispute, say one peck,
should be sealed in sack for the pur-
pose, and left at the local post office or
mailing station, to be inspected by the
state inspector at his next visit, and
who would determine the grade; the
o1ovotnr IN tho moo nfimo IN Owe a rn.