The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-08-24
STATE GRAIN INSPECTION.

Interview in Globe Democrat, August Ill
Hon. w. G. Downing, chairman of
the state board of railroad commission
ers, arrived at the Laclede last night
and was seen by a Globe Democrat re-
porter and asked to state his position
with regard to St. Louis grain inspec-
tions.
al was formerly in business in st.
LOUIS" he said, '.have always been at
tached to st. Louis and l desire to act
for the best interests of this city and
of the state. | wish TO act in harmony
with the st. Louis business men if [
can do so consistently, and if we can
not harmonize il will be their fault, not
mine. l have written TO Mr.. Wahl
and several other merchants here to that
effect"
ga great many members of the ex-
change feel hurt because you went to
Chicago to examine their inspection
system without first visiting the st.
Louis exchange. Why did you do this,
MIR. DowningW
"We went to Chicago not simply to
study inspections-thatw was secondary
consideration. Our law Is closely
modelled after the Illinois law, and we
went there to study the operation of
the law. | do not see how sensible
men could have done otherwise. We
have law here, and the first thing we
want to know is how best to carry out
that law for the best interests of the
people. To do this we must 90 where
a similar law Is already being success
fully enforced. We examined their
system OF inspections, methods of keep
ing records and so on. The matter of
grades we did not bother with. Their
grades are different from those of ST.
Louis, and they handle an entirely diff
ferent character OF grain. Their grades,
therefore, did not concern US. 1t was
the machinery of the system we de.
sired to familiarize ourselves with, not
its application as a whole to Missouri
business.'
THOROUGH INSPECTION ASSURED.
"What is your intention in regard to
the appointment of expert grain in
spectorsr
at has been and is our intention to
appoint two of the exchange experts
Mr.. Robinson and Mr.. Washington
one for this side of the river and one
for the other side. We have taken it
for granted that we were to be allowed
to inspect the grain on the east side. |
| see, however, there is some opposition
to our doing this. i understand that
some of the members of the exchange
want to use the east side inspections as
club over our head. | want to say
that | am not the man to be dubbed
into anything. If the exchange should
dt eide to retain the inspections across
the river | should take it as q direct
imputation against our integrity, and
i'm such a case | would certainly not
appoint a single expert from the St.
Louis exchange. Mr.. Samuel has tOld
me he wanted the state officers TO in-
spect the grain in the elevators on that
side as well as this. If their grain can
be handled without going through these
elevators all right. There is no reason
tor any uneasiness unless there is some
thing wrong.
GAS | stated before, we went to
Chicago to examine the operation of the
Illinois law. Having done this, we now
expect to put in several weeks looking
into the ST. Louis system of inspection,
grades and so on. We shall consult
with the conservative members, learn
their desires and, if not inconsistent
with the law, crafty them"
"DO you expect to make any changes
in grades?"
81 think not. | shall advise Mr..
Burks to move slowly in this matter. |
do not believe it will be- necessary TO
make any change in grades this season
perhaps not at all-unless | find
something radically wrong. In such q
case | would make a change at once.
do not expect, however, to have any
great wrongs to right"
"When do you expect 10 begin your
investigation"
ave expect to commence abont
September l."
COMPETENT MEN TO BE CHOSEN.
"The fear that incompetent men will
be appointed has been the cause OF
the uneasiness here, DIR. Downing.
What have you to say on that subject -
1.-The law in this respect is inconsis-
tent. 1t says in one place that the in
spectors shall be experts, and i'll an
other 1t practically says that they shall
not be. We have decided to take a
middle course, and train men for the
work. We have been criticised for ap-
pointing Mr.. Burks. 1t doesn't seem
to 0e understood that Mr.. Burks' posi-
ton is purely administrative. 1t is not
necessary that he be an expert grain iD-
spector. Mr.. O'Shea will be his chief
deputy. On him will devolve the ac-
tive duties, but he will have under him
at least one expert on each side OF the
river-unless the members of the ex-
change get obstreperous - and the
others will learn from these. In other
words, we desire that the men who do
the real handling of the grain shal! be
experts, and | don't think there is any
cause for uneasiness on that score.
received several letters from st. Louis
grain men while in Chicago. One OF
them suggested that | let things sand
as they are. This was so manitestly
absurd, in view # the fact that law
has been passed for the opposite pur-
pose, and we are instructed to enforce
that law, that did not answer the let