The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-27
SUB-TREASURY SCHEME.
REPRESENTATIVE WARMER DIS
COVERS 1T AND SHOWS IT Up.

Bill Means GOV6rnm6nC warehouses
With a Horde OF Federal ONCE
Holders.
WASHINGTON, July 26.-Repres entative
Warner Of New York has called halt in a
pretty scheme OF Chairman Hatch of the
House committee on agriculture to give the
sub~treasury plan of the farmers alliance
start in legislation under the innocent look
ing cover OF bill to fix a standard of
classification for grain. The bill, as its
friends admit in printed circular in Mr..
Warmers possession. Is simply the entering
wedge for establishing government ware
houses throughout the country and APP
pointing big army Of federal officials to
take care of them. A motley array of inter-
ests, including President Harrison's Secre-
tary of Agriculture. the late
President Polk of the farmers
alliance. Lyman Smith, the inventor Of q
patent steel warehouse, and prominent
New Yorker, have declared their sympathy
with the pending bill as long step toward
O more important end. The bill authorizes
the Secretary Of Agriculture to determine
and fix, according to such standard as he
may prescribe, such classification and grad
ing of wheat, corn, rye, oats and barley as
in his Judgment the usages of trade warrant
and permit, having reference TO the stand
ard classification and grades now recognized
by the several chambers Of commerce and
boards Of trade Of the United States; pro-
vlded, however. that reference to
such various cassihcations and
grades shall serve only as a
guide and suggestion in the matter OF
determining and fixing by the secretary the
United States standard herein provided for,
but he shall not be controlled thereby, but
shall determine aud fix such standards and
such classifications aud grades as will, in
his Judgment, best subserve the Interests Of
the public in the conduct Of Interstate trade
aud commerce in grain.
A TROUBLESOME QUESTION.
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 a
given consignment represented the truth.
He could not find the answer
in Anything said by Mr.. Hatch, the chair
man Of the committee on agriculture, or in
the report which Mr. Hatch submitted to
the House The report was the concen-
trated essence of wit itself, II 'brevity ia
the soul Of w.t." for the full text after the
formal Recommendation that the bill pass
was folio wed by "the object of the measure
is 10 provide government standard as to
the weight and general conditions of grain
in such a way as will best subserve the in
terests Of the public In the conduct OF inter
STATE trade and commerce. Mr.. Warner
thinks he has found the answer to
his question, however, in the circulars
which have been flying about from Secre~
tary Rusk, the Hon. o. b. Potter, and Ly-
man Smith, the inventor OF the steel ware
house. Mr.. Potter declared in circular
Of Feb. 21, 1S9J: II do not see how this eau
be done except through a national inspeo-
ton for grain the inspectors to be ap-
pointed by the head of the department of
agriculture and the standards to be kept at
such department 10 Washington, AMI per-
haps at the principal markets Of the coun-
try the official certificate Of the inspectors
making certain to the purchaser
that the quality of the grain delivered
shall be as stated in said certificate"
PoTTER's sAGACITY.
Mr. Potter has been a member of con-
gress and lie knows that 1t is better to ac-
compiish such great plans by gradual ap-
proaches- He soon saw that the proDosi
tion to create an army OF federal officials
at every farming cross roads would en-
counter opposition, and he wrote on June
50, 1890: II am anxious that you do not put
the bill in peril by attempting at the same
time to authorize national inspection. This
involves the appointment of national in
speotors, and however friendly the parry
in power may be to suoh a meas
ure it will be sure to awaken vio-
lent opposition to the measure
from their opponents both in and out of
congress. l think this opposition ones
aroused might endanger the passage of the
bill for the standard alone. After the
standard is established the call will soon
come for national inspection and inspectors,
and this question: can be thea argued with
much greater advantage in behalf of the
measure thas before the drst step to sstao~
lish the standard is accomplished"
RUsK ALSO TIMID.
Secretary Rusk also felt the need OF
caution and declared in a letter TO Repre-
sentative Money, who had charge OF the
bill in the last congress, that "while the use
of this standard is not made obligatory by
the bill in question, a large step will be
taken toward an end which Is universally
admitted 60 be desirable by the adoption of
some such measure as that contemplated
The secretary further declared that "eyery-
thing Objectionable seems 20 have been
eliminated" and that is the reason, perhaps,
why he allowed Assistant Secretary Willis
to receive letter written June 22 1892, by
the publishers Of the Americdn Elevator
and Grain Trade OF Chicago, urging him
'if possible TO exert your influence, which
know is strong, with the members
OF the House." Whether this important
executive officer Of the government
has complied with the request 10 lobby con-
gress for legislation In benalf Of his depart
ment or not, Lyman Smith, who Is as
aboveboard as he is sauguine, is urging the
members of the House TO support the bill
Such standards once established, with an
army Of officers to apply them, what millions
there would be In the steel warehouse sys-
tenn, and how little legislation it would re-
quire to bring the warehouses completely
under federal control aud authorize the
issue Of paper money on the deposits.
INDoRsED BY POLK.
President Polk, IN his argument bsfore
the Senate committee on agriculture, on
April %, 1890, In behalf Of the sub treasury
bill commended the steel warehouse plan
and declared: ut removes oil objections as
to the cost Of storage room for the products
proposed In this BILL 1t would silence all
objections as to the perishable character of
the security we offer. It would give us
storage absolutely 6re-proof. waterproof
and weather-proot, and thus enable US to
place with the governments the safest, most
reliable and most desirable security the
world could afford, Mr.. Potter has ex-
amined the scheme of steel warehouses and
declares that the system If put in opera
ton could not fail TO increase very largely
the success and profit Of grain production
throughout the whole country He does
not see how the scheme can be successful
a - NT.sM r.