The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-05
BADGER STATE MUST TAKE THE
BLAME FOR ANY CONsE-
QUENT TROUBLE.
AS TO DlsAGREErNG GRADES.
Likely That Minnesota Grades Will
Apply, However, to Grain Now
In store.

had charge of the work for many
years, but the Superior board Of trade
men were instrumental in securing the
passage Of law by the last Wisconsin
legislature empowering them to or
ganize an inspection system with full
authority to make such rules and
regulations as they might deem neces-
sary, and to collect fees and impose
such restrictions as might be deemed
proper in controlling the handling and
inspection Of wheat at that point and
the regulation of the elevators. The
grain men and millers of Superior, who
are, as a rule Minnesota business men,
having their offices in Duluth, have
stubbornly refused to countenance any
thing of the sort, on the ground that
it would work them an irreparable in
jury, in view of the fact that Mime
sofa inspection was we'll known by
Eastern buyers, while it would take
years to establish confidence in any
new system. The Superior people, how
ever, have taken the bull by the horns
and last night completed all arrange
ments for the appointment of a chief
inspector and all necessary subordin-
ates, and will be prepared to inaugu-
rate the new system on the 1St of
Sept, the Minnesota department hav-
ing arranged to withdraw on that date.
A. c. Clausen, state grain inspector of
Minnesota, when asked for general
outline of the situation as 1T affects his
department, made the following state
ment: Minnesota inspection, said he,
was extended to Superior about eleven
years ago, and in fact it's establish
ment was co-incident with that of the
service at st. Paul, Duluth and Mime
apolis.
ut was granted by the Minnesota
railroad and warehouse commission
only upon the urgent solicitation of the
grain men doing business at Superior
and upon their representation that it
would be impracticable for them to
maintain a separate system; that it
was necessary for the protection of
Minnesota shippers to that market and
to enable the terminal elevators at
Superior, which were owned and oper-
ated by Minnesota men and capital, to
do business under equal advantages
with the Duluth grain dealers. No
objection being raised by the Wiscon-
sin people nor by the Duluth Board of
Trade, and having in view the interests
of interior shippers, many of whom also
Joined in the request, the Minnesota
commission finally consented to the ar
rangement upon the condition that all
Warehousemen on the Superior side
should operate strictly under the Min
nesota laws and give bonds in the sum
required, conditioned upon full and
strict compliance with our laws, rules
and regulations. This system had been
in operation satisfactorily to all con-
cerned until three or four years ago,
a board Of trade was organized at
West Superior, and ever since its or
ganization the question of establishing
Wisconsin inspection has been agita-
ted, finally eliminating in the action
now taken
1--WE are making all necessary ar
rangements to withdraw the Minnesota
service Aug. 81, in accordance with the
notice of the Superior board of trade,
who have full authority to act, by
virtue of law passed by the Wiscon-
sin legislature at it's last session, which
empowers the board to establish an in
spection and weighing system and
adopt rules and regulations for the
control of the warehousemen.
I'm their efforts to build up a sue
cessful board of trade at Superior, it
is very natural that the Superior peo-
pie should desire to establish and Oper-
ate a successful inspection system and
there is no reason why it should not
be so, provided it can be made of practi-
cal utility to the grain men in their
business with Eastern buyers. The
strongest argument is the claim of the
grain men that they cannot do business
under a new system in competition
with an old, established and well known
system, at least, not for several years
and that in the meantime, they would
suffer great loss. 1t remains to be
demonstrated whether this is true or
not. Whether the elevator men at
Superior will give it a trial, I am not
prepared to say"
1.-THE change will compel us to dis
pense with the services of a number of
our men, which of course is somewhat
unpleasant, but as the new department
will need some Skillful, experienced
men, some of those who are dropped
may find employment. In every other
way, the change will be relief to us,
as our relations with the Superior peo-
pie who have been DESTROYS of having
a department of their own, have
naturally not been as pleasant as they
were before the agitation was COM
menced.
1.-THE commission, however, has al
ways signified it's willingness to step
down and out at any time when re-
quested to do SO by proper authority.
Although we have been called inter-
lopers, those who understood our re-
lations know this to be untrue and
unjust.
1T is stated, Mr.. Clausen, that there
are several million bushels of grain
now in store in elevators at Superior
and West Superior, for which ware
house receipts are outstanding, many
of them held by Eastern parties as
collateral security for money advanced,
also others in the hands of owners of
grain now In store. It is claimed that
If your inspection is withdrawn and a
new system applied to this grain on
its delivery from store, much confusion
and uncertainty will arise and great
loss will be entailed upon the owners of
such receipts"
mo doubt this is very serious and
important matter for consideration,
said Inspector Clausen, land arrange
ments will no doubt be made to pro-
vide for It, My impression is that the
Wisconsin inspection law provides that
its provisions are not to change the
liabilities of warehouse men on grain
now in store, and that the inspection
shall be had under the same system
under which it was received into store.
If I am correct in this supposition it is
very likely the Superior board of trade
will modify its order and request our
department to inspect and weigh out
all wheat IN public houses which may
have gone in under our system prior
to Aug. 81 next. Our commissioners
would without any doubt, be willing
to protect any public interests that
might be involved, in this way"
DISTRICT COURT ROUTINE.