The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-06

ing grade and dockage amounts to the
considerable sum of about $1,000 per an
mum.
This is enough to pay the rental ex-
penses of the Minneapolis and Duluth in
spectlon departments. / therefore have
their official purpose shall be sold and
the proceeds deposited to the credit Of the
grain inspection department fund, in
stead of being converted to the pockets
OF the employees as heretofore.
The effect Of the old practice could not
fail to have been demoraliZing, as must
necessarily be the case when private and
unlaWful emoluments, though small. fall
10 those In positions of public trust. Be
sldes the petty jealoustes and tricks re-
sorted TO by those eager to get their
snare or the plumber, there was the temp
ldtIoh TO take unnecessary large and
numerous samples. BY this practice it
was possible for thousands of dollars
worth of grain to be taken under the
gu1se Of samples without the slightest
fear of detection.
1t is not right that such temptations
should be placed before public employees.
ASIDE from that. the practice was thor
oughly irregular. unbusiness-like. extrav-
agant and demoralizing. as well as con-
trary to law.
By thus converting the value of the
samples TO defray the expenses Of the de-
partment, therefore. four results will be
attained: First greater efficiency and in
tegrity In the official service: second, an
increase of the department revenue suf-
flclent to meet the rental expenses at the
inspection points; third, the stOppage of
the rivalry of samples by the taking of
unnecessarily large and numerous sam
pies and fourth, the restitution of the
value OF the samples to the shippers by
reducing the inspection expenses which
they nave to meet Instructions have
also been Issued to take no more and no
larger samples than are absolutely neces-
sary to determine grade and allowance
Tor shrinkage.
APPOINTMENTS.
Success in this as in all other depart
ments of public service depends In
great degree upon the intelligent. faith
tul and efficient work Of employees. To
THIS end 1t is desirable that appointments
should be made with due regard to civil
service principles; and that changes should
prroyement Of the public service, rather
man for political spoils Permit me.
however. to file my protest against the
only or chief test of efficiency in posi
tlons OF public trust is length Of time
1T is proverbial that new broom sweeps
cream: The only way yet discovered of
getting rid of corrupt practices and in
el1clent methods in public service is to
gSe TO- tio or the of6cials guilty of corrupt
practices and inefficient methods. 1 know
OF no way of Improving the service of the
department If those guilty of doubtful
nethods and 1nefhciency are retained
Length of time in Office does not neces-
sarily imply either superior intelligence,
energy. faithfulness or general effic1ency.
1t Is my observation that the official who
Tor neither energy, faithfulness, nor all
round efficiency Changes based ON tha
policy Of lettering the service are among
the most wholesome of civil service re-
forms.
Nor am I able to agree with a theory
recently advanced that the work of in
speCting grain requires such astounding
intelligence and experience Of an eXnerf
character that only years Of service in
the grain inspection department. can quail
1fy man for it. That may be a good
theory to advance for the maintenance
OF pets in office, and that in my humble
opinion IS its principal virtue After thir-
growing of grain. it is my conviction
that any person possessed of ordinary
horse sense, good eye sight and sense Of
taste and smell, together with the renuis-
lite physical strength, should be able to
do we'll the work required of an inspector
after an apprenticeship of two or three
1t requires infinitely more skill. experf-
ence and Judgment to grow 50-cent wheat
at profit than to name the grade of
elevator or car.
Compared with the brains and energy
required to successfully run a threshing
work connected with the grain tnsDecfio5
is easy. Integrity, faithfuIness In Service.
zeal s for the public. interest and spirit
Of harmony with the policy of the de-
partment and of the Administrative so
as to make the department a fhorou9 bIv
organized official force, are far more i'm
portant qualifications in an employee than
mere length Of time in service.
PRESENT CROP INSPECTION.
The present seasons crop, that for the
crop year beginning Sept. l. 1899 prom
lses to be more difficult than usual to
grade, by reason of the heavy fall rains
which have affected large part of the
crop, and rust and blight which visited
certain gratn-grOwing sections The work
OF inspection and grading, however is
proceeding in a manner which leaves
no ground for fear as to the final out
come. -''
The growers and handlers of grain are.
as rule. reasonable and faIr-minIed
men and appreciate an honest and indus
trlous effort to give just grades The
general cordial treatment and approval
which the department has received at
the hands of both growers and dealers
since the beginning Of the crop wear sip-
acter Of much of the crop the work of
inspection and grading is proceeding with
satisfaction and success.
AS to the policy of the department in
regard to inspection and grades, it is
sufficient to say that it is the aim to es
to give to the producer. the dealer, the
miller and Eastern purchaser the same
UNIFORM grade, and at all stages of the
market and seasons Of the year: to give
the same grade in the fall when the
grain is in the hands Of the producer. as
in the winter or spring when it is IargeIy
IN the hands of the dealers. millers and
elevators; to give the same grade when
wheat Is depressed and low as when
wheat Is doomed and high; to give the
producer grade as high as the charac-
ter and condition of his grain will WaT-
a Ia