The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-10-02
GRAIN INSPECTION
VIGOROUS KICK FROM A SOUTH DA-
KOTA BUYER

TO nave grades systematically lowered
to rob the farmer, as some papers term
it. I differ with them. 1t lays in the
hands of just three men, the chief in
spector and his chief deputies. They say
the state established the grades in this
matter. "Who is the stated It's three
representatives, who can issue it's COM
mand, and the subordinates must obey.
Mr.. Editor we have an illustration of
what can be accomplished by few men
in South Dakota, towit, 1.-The Taylor de-
falcation.' They try to have you believe
that the millers and elevator companies
are throwing their money away. For
what sensible man will pay more than
thing is worth, as they are paying a pre-
MUM of one quarter of cent more than
December wheats. What is December
wheat-a gambling deal?" pure and SIM
pie, for no living man knows what wheat
Will be worth when that time comes.
But Secretary Wyman said all rot, and
that settled it with the Journal. But l
would like to ask them what caused such
universal complaint as to undergrading
all over the three great states of Mime
sofa, North and South Dakota. Hun
dreds Of buyers in the country, men who
had spent the greater portion of their
lives buying grain, relying on continu-
ance Of grading as 1t had for a long time
existed. were suddenly confronted by a
complete change and a very severe one
too. Wheat that before readily graded
No. 2 suddenly became rejected. I know
many men employed in elevator cOmpa-
MES who would not only lose every penny
of salary but would also be in debt to the
companies II the companies enforced the
contract under which they were employ
ed, towit making good their grades and
weights l ask any fair-mnded man is
10 rs
would wilfully endanger the loss Of their
entire salary and more, by paying for re-
jected wheat the price of No. 2, which is
seven cents per buShel according to the
list price sent from Minneapolis to their
buyers in the country each day. Had
these men all at once lost their ability to
know what they were buying? No.
Would it not be natural to men bound
down by stringent bond and contract to
err, II they erred at ALL on the side that
would protect themselves. But no, they
were suddenly confronted by complete
and radical change in grading. And who
authorized it? Who discovered it's neceS-
sity? Well, it was discovered that part
of North Dakota, the land of worldwide
reputation as being the home Of No. l
hard, had some smut That in places in
Minnesota some wheat had been slightly
bleached; that in South Dakota parts
had been afflicted with severe drouth, and
wheat slightly stained which had been
caused by coming in contact with weeds
which came among the wheat from the
late rains. A golden opportunity. BY
virtue of few damnable rules tackled on
to the law each and every, single or con-
solidated, of these things, are excuse suf-
ficient to knock off a grade or two or
three grades, as suits the humor of the
inspector. But the most hellish rule of
all, is one providing that grain shall be
graded according to poorest found in the
car, a rule which originally was design
ed to protect receivers from what is
known among the trade as doctored cars;
but which is now used to further deliber-
ate wrong l have before me now a let
ter from prominent and reputable COM
mission house in Minneapolis which says
car graded rejected on account OF a few
stained berries. But we sold it at near
price of No 2; and another letter from a
reputable commission house who regu-
larly handle my shipments. They say
car in, graded rejected, we called for re-
inspection and grade was raised sold at
within Nc of No. price Another letter
which says, 1--WE do not believe this class
of wheat should grade SO low"
Mr.. Editor, I am 63 years old. I have
handled grain for more than 40 years.
For the past six years I have bought
wheat at this point. Every load deliv
cred at my elevator passes under my
own supervision, as 90 not employ any
help, but do all the work, manual, cler-
ical or otherwise. q mention this to per-
haps fOreStall the charge that l employ
incompetents) Until about 10 months
ago 1 had but slight cause of complaint.
III one year l handled $4,000 bushels of
wheat and shipped it all to Minneapolis.
About is months ago the inspector on the
division was changed, and from that
time until the present 1 have never had
car grade No. l, when previous to that
it was rare to get a lower grade, which
leads to the belief that there is not even
uniformity in grading. This year, rely
ing on the experience of 40 years and the
memory Of grading for the past six years,
l commenced buying on what l consider
ed its merits, namely No. 2 and No. 3,
with an occasional load which had
grown on new breaking, No. /. I let it all
go together, not expecting to get better
grade than 3, not expecting it for the
reason that all my No. last season
graded No. 2. the same inspector being
still on my division. So far every car l
have shipped has graded rejected but
one, and that car perhaps had the same
dose but for the fact that a certain par
ty was present at inspection time and the
funny part of the whole business is the
fact that nearly all Of my shipments this
season have been purchased by the big
milling concerns of Minneapolis Their
buyers are surely as competent as any
inspector appointed by the state. l. e.
Does anyone believe that the flood of re-
jected now inunoating Minneapolis is
really so? I notice very large part of 1t
is being sold at good prices. Let us sup
pose that $4,000 bushels per day can be
bought in the country as rejected at
difference of cents below No. 2. and sold
in Minneapolis at near No. 2 price, isn't
there money in it. and don't the big ele-
vator concerns in Minneapolis have large
lines in the country? Fifty thousand
bushels at cents would make the snug
sum of $500 per day in addition to reg
ular profits It might be a good thing for
the state to abolish the inspection law
entirely and let grain be sold on it's real
merits like pins and calico. and pota-
toes. If a miller sees a car of wheat he
should know if he wants it or not and
what do 1 gain by having car graded
rejected and pay % cents for that sub
lime privilege and getting a certificate
plastered with the information that it
was rejected, bleached. shrunken, smut
new. ETC.. and then selling it to amiller
for near the price Of No. 2, to be made into
Washburn's xxx or Pillsbury's Best
But / am not the only one who is COM
planning. I have seen and signed a petit
ton asking for a relaxation of present
grading, which already had formidable
array of names Of buyers, and which If
not captured by the enemy will cause
people to think there is something rot
ten in Denmark There is. however a
small ray of hope. A buyer for one of the
large concerns informs me that they
have let up on undergrading him. Per
haps the smaller fry will get relief later
on. A GRAIN BUYER
PREPARED FOR HIM.
Henry" said the woman who worries
about domestic details, "are you sure
you had the servants buy an alright