St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-31

duu lle OCCdSlOO CalleQ Tor wise ana 1uQl-
elous action. 1t was question how the
farmers OF The state, the men who had for
tunes invested In the elevators and the hold
ers OF grain receipts, would be affected. The
commission at that time was composed Of
men OF distinguished ability, large expert
enee and uuquestioned prObity, and il were
unklnd 10 say of them that. prompted by the
| highest considerations of public policy and
| unalded by previous experience, acted in
| violation oi law or that their action was un-.
! warranted by the existing facts.
Overage was next taken up. and the gem
| eral commended that the charge that wheat in
excess OF the damaged grain was shipped
| was not sustained by the proofs. 1t appeared
| that the testimony of witnesses as to the
| shipment Of 1887 bushels as overage was
| the result or their unfamiiarity with
| the methods of bookkeeping, and that it was
| all properly accounted for by the elevator
| companies in manner which left no i'm
| putation upon them. AS to the charge that
| l5,OOO other bushels were shipped without in
| spection, Gen. Childs said the cnarge was
| well rounded. The companies themselves ad-
| editnnd attempted TO justify their action.
| He thought this wheat which was what they
| had ON hand when the present law went inlO
| effect should have been weighed into the
| houses IN the regular manner, but he sup
posed the companies. regarding the wheat as
| their Cwn and over which the state had no
| surveillance, took the action they did in
| preference to subjecting themselves to criti-
| clSm which might arise by the public being
| apprised of the large accumulation of over
| age In their business. 1t appears that from
| August, 1885, To August. ISL there aCCumu-
| lated an overage of ll,213 bushels in handling
| 56OOO,OOU bushels OF grain, or One-Quarter Of
an ounce a bushe But they consulted
| with the commissioners regarding ii, and
were granted permission to shin il upon
| due notice TO the state weighing and inspec-
| ton department at Duluth without cAncella-
tion of outstanding receipts The commits
| sion doubtless took the view that the wheat
had become the property of the companies,
and that they should in justice be allowed to
dispose or the same. The elevator companies
took the ground that, as they had incurred an
expense of about 100000 in providing for
the warehouse receipts outstanding against
the damaged grain, they were all the more
justified in disposing of these averages rs a
recOmpense.
The state inspection and Weighing depart
ment was next considered, and Gen. Childs
SAID thar it was Il matter of cOngratulation
that the integrity and
Efficiency Of the State Service
both as to the inspection and weighing OF
grain, had been fully sustained by this in
vestigation. With rare exceptions, the en-
ployes are men of high character and good
ability. and IN instances where their integrity
has been questioned, the evidence is TOO Cou
flicting and inconelusive to warrant the com
mittee in embOdying any aspcrSiVe criticism.
II instances OF dishonest or unfaithfu con
duct had been here ana there proven il
would have been matter of little surprise,
the selfish and powerful interests seeking
special privileges and advantages at inspec-
ton points. II do not understand, however.
that any charge of Il serious nature is pre-
ferred against either of these departments on
such grounds
As to the improper grading weighing and
docking Of grain, he said that the grading
must always. from the intirmity Of human
| judgment be a debatable and uncertain ele-
ment The inspector is placed between two
| interests Numerically opposed to each other
! and equally Vigilant over his work, and in
| view of the provisions OF the law Tor rein
specton and appeal, n dishonest inspector
/ could scarcely impose on either. interest
| Gen. Childs said he was unable TO advise the
| committee, from the evidence, on the charge
| that there is custom OF holding down
| grades at the commencement OF the shipping
| season, at inspection points. The evidence
! shows that dockage is at times excessive but
| this is again case where the duty Of the in
| spector will depend largely upon his judg
ment. 1t cannot lie said that there IS any
! charge of an abuse of discretion in this re.
| gard by the inspectors.
The question of dockage, the general said,
was one of no ii lie Importance, and the com
mittee might feel constrained to devote some
portion of its report, by way of recommenda-
| lion, to its consideration But il was the
duty OF the committee 10 ascertain whether
| the provisions OF the present law are properly
| observed, and 10 point out incidentally II
| disposed to go to that length oyersigitts iu
| legislation. if any exist and he thought The
| appropriation would be well expended II the
| committee was able TO recommend such Ju-
| dicious measures as Will secure immunity
from restraint or imposition to the grain pro-
| ducerS in marketing theircrOp lie expressed
| the opinion. that whatever the sincerity of the
| motives of the committee, 1t would be pub
| lie misfortune if the final report shoulg be
| found at variance with the natural detuc-
| tions to be drawn from the record. lie adj
| Vised that while the committee should not
| hesitate to record any material fact however
| psejudicial 10 any individual or interest
when the public welfare requires, yet no ex-
| preston should find place i'll the report
| derogat0ry Of official conduct unless abun0-
| anty justified BY proofs The reargument
| of A. &. Clausen. submitted to tie commit
| tee, was referred TO as deserving of careful
| consideration, and the opinion was ex-
! pressed that some portions OF IT would be OF
value to the committee in framing its report.
Speaking Of the Shortage
! I'm weights of shipments made to public
warehouses. Gen. Chiids said that the com
| plants are well founded, but are ont OF pro-
| portion TO the volume of business transacted;
| but he thought that the business OF the local
! buyer is too frequently carried on in such
| disre gard of sound business methods as 10
| make the evidence on this score OF very
| questionable value ShrnSace might be nc
| counted for by shipment without weighing
] bv the local buyer, weighing at point OF ship
| ment with small or defective scales,
defective cOopering Of the cars re-
petty lhefts while en- route, change in atmOs-
| pheric and climatic conditions. loss of moist
| ure and defect in scales Mt terminal points.
He thought very few instances cited TO the
| committee but could be attributed TO one OF
more of these causes. Attention was called
TO the fact that the Neighman was Obliged tc
| depend upon the elevator employees ms 10 the
identity of cars winch are TO be weighed,
ana he thought IL not impossible thRt the
weight of one car might be attributed TO
another.
Screenings were next discussed. As to the
charge that in 1889 large quantity OF wheat
was slipped in the night from Duluth as
screenings, Gen. Childs said that IT vas no
doubt the 1000 bushels OF overage 10 which
he had already called attention, and that
secret methods were employed in shipping i,
presumably for the purpose of averling pub
lie attention and dlsarmlng suspicion. lie
was unable to find that any other wheat than
such oveTage was ever shipped in clandes'
tine manner. II there was any excess over
such amount il was so small that the fact
would but slightly Affect the question. lie ana
not think the shipment OF wheat under
such guise was a common practice adopted
by companies in diSpOsing Of Oyerage. lie
did NOT think the claim tnat the companies
were reaping n harvest from the sales OF
screenings was established. In fact, pOr-
lions of the evidence lead To the opposite
view. The companies have disposition 70
remove as little foreign substance as possible
from the wheat and yet insure Us shipment,
and ne was unable TO reconcile this fact with
the theory that screenings were enriched by
the presence of a large proportion Of wheat.
IL Is matter of little moment what dispOsI-
tion is made of the screenings so long as the
wheat is properly handled by The elevator
companies, and it would be quite imprac-
table to attempt TO distribute the profits aris-
ing therefrOm among the owners OF the
wheat.
''The Great Combines
was the next branch of the investigation TO
which Gen. Childs devoted himself. He said
that the committee entered upon its inquiry
as to the charge that there was combiua-
ton to control prices with no indifferent
purpose, but whatever suspicious may have
arisn as 10 the result or such inquiry there
is not the slightest proof Of the existence in
fact OF any such combination or conspiracy
nor is there anything which miit0tes against
the good name of MI Irousn Ii does not
appear that Mr.. Irons ever received any III
structions from his en- plOyers 10 furnish his
price list of information to any person what