Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-29
A SCHEME STOPPED.
Attempt to Insert an Entering Wedge
of the Sub-Treasury Plan.
PECULIAR MEASURE IN CONGRESS.
A Bill for the Classification Of Grain
Arouses Suspicion.
DESIGN FOR AN ARMY OF OFFICIALS

Warner, of New York, has called halt in
q pretty scheme of Chairman Hatch, of the
House Committee on Agriculture, to give
the sub-treasury plan of the Farmers Alli-
ance start In legislation under the inno-
cent-looking cover of bill to fix standard
of classification for grain. The bill, as its
friends admit in printed circulars in Mr..
Warmers possession, is simply the entering
wedge for establishing Government ware
houses throughout the country aud appoint
ing big army of Federal officials to take
care of them.
A motley array of interests, including
President Harrison's Secretary of Agricul-
ture, the late President Polk, of the Farm
ers' Alliance, Lyman Smith, the inventor
of patent steel warehouse, and prominent
New Yorker, have declared their sympathy
with the pending bill as long step
toward a more important end. The bill
authorizes the Secretary Of Agriculture thus:
Purpose of the Measure.
To determine and fix, according to such
standard as he may prescribe. such classifi.
cation and grading of wheat. corn, rye, oats
and barley as, in his Judgment. the usages Of
trade warrant and permit, having reference
to the standard classihcations and grades
now recognized by tho several chambers of
commerce and boards of trade of the United
States, provided, however, that reference to
such various classifcations and grades shall
serve only as guide and suggestion IN the
matter of determining and fixing by the Sec
retary the United Statos standard provided
for: but he shall not be controlled thereby,
but shall determine and fix such standard
and such classifications and grades as will,
in his Judgment, best subserve the interests
of the public in the conduct of Interstate
trade and commerce In grain.
Representative Warner sought an answer
in vain, when the bill was before the House
ON Wednesday, to the question who would
guarantee that the classification of q given
consignment represented the truth. Mr..
Warner thinks he has found the answer to
his question, however, in the circulars
which have been flying about from Secre-
tary Rusk, Hon. O. B. Potter and Mr.. Ly-
man Smith, the inventor of the steel ware
house. Mr.. Potter declared in circular of
February 21, 1890:
'I do not see how this can be done e1-
cept through national inspection for
grain, the inspectors to be appointed by the
head of the Department of Agriculture,
and the standards to be kept at such depart
ment in Washington, and perhaps at the
principal markets of the country, the Off
cial certificate OF the inspector making GER
tain to the purchaser that the quality of the
grain delivered shall be as stated in said
certificate"
BY Gradual Approaches.
Mr. Potter has been a member of Con-
gress, and he knows that it is better to &C
complish such great plans by gradual ap-
ptoaches. He soon saw that the proposition
to create an army of Federal officials at every
farming crossroads would encounter oppo-
sition.
Secretary Rusk also felt the need of eau
tion, and declared, in letter to Representa-
tive Morey. who had charge of the bill in
the last Congress, that "while the use of
bill in question, large step will be taken
toward an end which is universally ad-
mitted to be desirable by the adoption of
Rome such measure as that contemplated"
Mr.. Lyman Smith, who is as above board
as he is sanguine, is urging members of the
House to support the bill Such standards
once established, with an army of officials
to apply them, what millions there would
be in the steel warehouse system, and how
little legislation it would require to bring
the warehouse completely under Federal
control and authorize the issue of paper
money on the deposits. President Polk, in
HIS dEkumCHb UCiUlc tuC ocuo9C SomhitISC
on Agriculture, Aprit o. 1890, in behalf OF
the sub-treasury bill, commended the steel
warehouse plan.
An Army OF Officials.
Mr.. Potter has examined the scheme of
steel warehouses, and declares that the sys-
TEN, '1f put in operation, could not fail to
increase very largely the success and profit
of grain production throughout the whole
He does not see how the scheme
can be successful without national inspec-
tion.
All in all, it is very pretty scheme to
drive the sharp end of the sub-treasury
wedge between the leaves of the national
statute book, with the hope Of getting the
whole entsrprise-thoussnds of national in
spectors, steel warehouses and alI-soon in
operation under the direction of friendly
Secretary Rusk. The leaders of the Farm
ers' Alliance hand in glove to fasten the
sub-treasury scheme upon the country is
rather striking spectacle, but one not alto
gether surprising to those who resisted the
sweeping schemes Of Capitalization which
were proposed in the Billion-doIlar Con-
orauc