The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-31
THE GRAIN BUSIN ESS.

| A good deal has been said in the print
the past few days in regard to the actor
OF the state grain inspectors last week II
changing the standard of weight fol
wheat in this state from SO to SO pounds
and it seems that a general misconcep
ton of the matter still exists in the
minds of a great many people. To give
our readers more comprehensive idea
of the situation we quote the following
lucid statement from the Kansas City
Kan, Gazette:
"During the week those authorized
| under the grain inspection law met IL
Kansas City, Kan, and established the
grade which is to rule in the markets fol
Kansas grain for the year. The princi-
| pal change made was in the test weight
of No. hard wheat. which was raised
fro m 80 to 50 pounds to the bushel. The
law contemplates that the condition OF
each crop shall be reviewed, and the
grade re.establlshed or changed before
the 10Th of September of each year. The
crop of wheat raised in Kansas this
year is an excellent one, being much
heavier than usual.
Some question exists as to why the
lest weight was raised, and who is bene-
fitted by it. The price of No. 2 wheat is
established by the quality turned out of
the elevators. If the elevators are per-
mitted to turn out a lighter grade OF
wheat than the producer or country
shipper has to ship the country shipper
is the loser To illustrate this we Will
state that last week there were received
in Kansas City, Kan, 1856 cars of No. 2
hard wheat, eleven cars of which weigh
ed but fffty-eight pounds, while 1,O60
cars weighed sixty pounds or over
With fifty-eight pounds as the test
weight the eleven cars established the
price on the 1876 cars. At fifty-nine
pounds test the eleven cars would not
grade No 2, and better price would be
established for the whole. The reason
the test was not raised to sixty pounds is
that in the southern tier of counties the
wheat is lighter than in northern
and central Kansas, and this would
work an injustice to the wheat
of southern Kansas by forcing it
down one grade. The fact that the price
is governed by the quality turned out by
the elevators is because the elevators
clean the wheat. A great deal of wheat
arrives not prime condition, and before
it goes through the cleaning process of
the elevators it would not grade No. 2.
The price of No. 2, or any grade of
wheat, is established by the lowest quail
i:y that Will pass in that grade. These
remarks refer solely to wheat sold on in
spection, and not to wheat sold by
sample.
There seems to be very great lack
OF information among the people of the
state concerning the existence of a Kan
sas state inspection, and the advantages
it has been and can confer upon the pro-
aucer and the reputation Of the state in
the grain markets. 1t has been in opera
ton less than one year and half. and
our inspection certificates are already
accepted in Europe as evidence of
quality. The reputation of the Kansas
grain market today is better than it has
ever been. There is absolutely no COM
plant as to weights. The producer and
the shipper is effectively protected. The
are made by sworn officers,
who give bonds, and the weighing is also
performed by officials under oath and
under bond. TIE producer and shipper
is assured of fair dealing. Kansas pro-
ducers and shippers should demand Kan
sas inspections and weights. The grain
inspection law passed by the last legis-
lature is one of the very best on the
statute books"