The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-30

Conclusions Drawn by the joint
Legislative Committee of the
Last acknowledgements Exhibits
Determination to Protect the
High Standard of Minnesota
Wheat Grades Against Attacks.
Gov. Lind has sent the following open
letter to the editor of the Pioneer Press:
My attention has been called to the
editorial appearing as a leader in your
paper Of the 9th inst, headed Political
Wheat Inspection, part OF which reads
as follows:
Gov. Lind has been routing out very
capable and honest wheat inspectors,
whose work for many years past has
made the. Minnesota inspection certif-
lcate thing to be absolutely relied on
in the markets of the world. He has filled
their places with political appointees who
realize that the chief motive for the sub
Sutulon Is not to maintain the hereto
fore high repute of the Minnesota inspec-
ton abroad, but to so curry favor with
the farmers as to promote Gov. Lind's
chanceS for reelection.
" Gov. Lind probably reasons that 1t will
take about a year for foreign buyers to
discover that the heretofore existing bust
superseded by political inspection and
that meanwhile some votes may be gain
ed by liberality in liking grades. If he IS
Reelected what matters it to him that
Minnesota honest reputation shall be
gone? If he is defeated, upon a Repub-
mean governor and not upon Lind will
Iall the labor OF repairing, if possible, the
damage done to the permanent interests
of the state
'lf the effect Of such an editorial were
simply political, 1 should not feel called
upon to reply. but when a paper of your
pretensions deliberately undertakes to
discredit in advance the Minnesota wheat
crop in the Eastern and foreign markets.
1t behooVes me in the interest of the
thousands of farmers and business men
whose pockets you attack, to make
statement OF the facts and to counteract,
go far as lies IN my power, the baneful
effect of such pernicious statements.
DENOUNCED AS FALSE.
''Your first statement, that Gov. Lind
has been routing out very nearly the
whole force of trained, capable and hon
est wheat inspectors, etc. is absolutely
without foundation in fact. The serv-
ices of only one inspector have been dis
Densed with by the new chief inspector,
so far as l am advised, and the inspect
Ors in the service who have devoted their
time to their work, who are efficient and
qualified, and whose record entities them
to remain, will be retained. The head
of the department and the chief assist
ants have been superseded by men who
will direct the work on the lines herein
indicated
The personnel of the board of appeals
has not been criticised. On the con-
trary, their appointment was well re-
ceived. They are all men of integrity
and experience in the work for which
they were selected, whose appointment
has met approval with all interests
They have met pursuant to law, and es-
tahlished grades for the ensuing year in
harmony with the grades that have been
In vogue in the past, the only change be-
ing that the inspectors will hereafter
be required 10 determine the dockage in
grain classed rejected or mo grade
which change experience mas demon
strated 10 be necessary for the protec-
tion Of the producer. The grades so es-
tablished will be maintained with integ-
rity throughout the season, not only with
regard to the inspection of the farmers s
grain sold on the track and inspected
in elevators, but with equal strictness
as to the grain inspected out of the ele-
Vators and mixing houses for the Eastern
and foreign markets.
CLAUSEN ON THE STAND.
In the report of the examination be-
fore the joint legislative committee of
the last legislature, you will find in the
House Journal of the last session, on
page g. Of the appendix, the following
question put to Mr.. Clausen, and his an
SWer:
80. But that does not explafn the or
!ginal proposition which we started with;
that il has always been thaS the grade
was Inore severe early in the season, and
grew more liberal as the season advanced
"A. Now, We start out conSerVatiVely
every year; We don't know what we
nave to contend with with any crop be-
tore we get into it, and We never get
into 1t so as to understand it until about
the first or fifteenth of October; we
start out as we did the year before car
rylng an average grade on each of the
grades, what we call an average as far
as We have it; now don't propose to an
tagonlZe anybody, but I will challenge
anybody to show or demonstrate that the
grading Of the grain has not been with
in the rules on this crop as we'll as on
other crops. That is to say, claim that
with the exception of some mistakes that
may nave been made, no one can Justify
or confirm the statements that the grades
on this crop have not been carried within
the line laid down for the different grades.
That no wheat has been graded No. /
northern that should have been graded
one hard, nor any graded northern that
should have been graded northern; now
that may seem broad statement, but I
am making that on general lines; there
may have been cases..
ION Page s you will find the following
questions put to Mr.. Tunnel, chief dep
uty inspector at Minneapolis. and his an
swers:
:" Q. Do you mean to say that you did
not inspect too closely?
"A. No, sir; not If the wheat was
OF the same quality.
Q. You have testified that early in the
season you have to inspect closer?
a Yes, at the very start
q How long do you consider that
necessary?
"A. I couldn't say exactlv.'
And likewise the testimony Of Mr.. Mel
son Hoople, state inspector at DuIutb
" Q. Do you or do you not on the fi,.s+
arrival Of the wheat, new cron nroe
ceed on the theory that the crop is of tba
same general character and grade as tbe i1
year previous? '--o
=" "A. Well, no, not exactly we are eep-
orally careful on the starting out Of eecb
year, before we determine what The
crop is 'iie
The conclusions drawn from this testi-
mony by the joint committee are as fol
lows (to be found on Pages 8 and 81:
COMMITTEE DRAWS CONCLUSIONS.
From this testimonyit appears clearly
70 your committee that the wheat early
IN the season is not Inspected upon IFS
merits, but from an overcautious desire
on the part of the department to keep up
what they deem is necessary to keen the
sstandard of the grade. 1t appears from