The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-23

Suit mas been brought against the state
railway and warehouse commission, at
the instance of the treasurer of a local
charitable society Of Duluth, to decide
the ownership of the samples of grain
taken by the state grain inspection de-
partment to determine the grades. 1t
FTas the practice, prior to the time when
Chief Grain Inspector Reishus assumed
Office, for the deputy grain inspectors to
take possession of these samples as one
or their perquisites, and as soon as this
1act came to the knowledge of Mr. Reishus
he very properly put a stop to the prac-
tice. He took the position that these
grain samples were the property of the
owners of the grain, and that they should
be returned to them; and, as 1t was no,
practicable TO actually return the sam
pies to the owners who, of course, re
side IN different places throughout Mime
sofa and North Dakota, he determined
that the best plan would be to turn ths
amount realized from the sale of the
samples into the state grain inspection
fund. By so doing, the cost of MAIN
fenance Of the department would be re-
duced, and every shipper and owner of
grain would thus have the value of the
samples taken for inspection returned to
him indirectly, either through the in
creased efficiency of the service or by thu
reduction Of the expense of maintenance.
e AS the owners Of the grain are the In
dividuals who support the inspection de-
partment by the payment of fees, any
thing tending to reduce the cost of main
tenanee would be to their benefit. Sam
pies of grain taken for inspection weigh
Rbout four pounds, and the cost of ac-
tually returning them to the real own
Ers would be greater in most cases than
the value of the sample, and would also
hecessitate the employment of additional
help to attend to such work. The sam:
pies. too, are retained for at least sew
Fral months by the department for the
purpose of protecting the inspectors in
cases of appeal from the grade fixed, SO
that the idea of actually returning the
sample to the true owner is manifestly
absurd and impracticable.
The Duluth charitable society. which
how causes this suit to be brought. asked
that all inspection samples be turned
over to them for distribution to the poor
"a very worthy purpose, Of course. but
p request with which the commission
FELT that it had no authority to comply
they only being in the position Of trustees
For the owners This society then Sc
buried orders from various grain commits
sion men for the delivery of the samples,
put, fer the reasons already stated, the
orders were not recognized.
If such orders were given simply by the
commission men employed by the owners
bf the grain, such persons would not ap-
pear TO have very much to say as to the
disposition of the samples. And as to tho
propriety Of the railroad and warehouse
commissioners donating the samples for
the benefit of the poor Of Duluth, the
question might be asked Have not the
poor of Crookston, Fergus Falls, ST.
Cloud or the Twin Cities an equal right to
, share with the poor Of Duluth?
1t might be held that. under the law
providing for the inspection of grain, the
aeputy inspectors are authorized to take
eamples Of all grain, and that such sam
Piles become a part Of the records or ref
erences Of the department. and as such
Pre- the property of the state.
The whole value of these samples is
probably about $1,000 year, and may
exceed that amount in the next two or
three years. 1t is not claimed that the
owners Of ne grain attach much value
10 the samples, or that they have az
hny time insisted that they be returned
70 them No complaint has heretofore
peen made in this matter, not even when
certain of the former deputy inspectors
were quietly pocketing the proceeds of
the sale of the samples as a perquisite.
Nine times out of ten 1t is the farmer
pr the small shipper out of whose pocket
BONES the value of these samples, and
the plan adopted by Chief Inspector
Reishus Is the only one which will insur.
Fheir receiving the return which. however
lmaI, is only their just DUE