The Irish standard., 1899-12-23
FA1TH.WELLsK
With the People of Minnesota by the
Lind Administration.

administration has been the annual re-
port OF the grain inspection department
made by Chief Inspector E. S. Reishus,
Who succeeded A. c. Clausen four
months ago. The report has been given
lutte widely to the state press, and too
much attention cannot be given it by the
,eople. 1t shows a very material in
rcase in the volume OF business, nearly
5000 carloads Of grain having been I'm
oadcd at the four terminal points, more
han during the previous year. The
normous quantity OF 217,o24 carloads OF
vheat were received during the year, all
ut about 900 cars being Northwestern
pring wheat
The department collected during the
ear SlSS,o2o 80, an increase in the re-
eipts over the previous year OF $35,4I2
lie disbursements for the season were
els,764, showing net loss for the
ear, nine months OF which was con
uctcd by Mr. Reishus' predecessor, Of
24,S3S.o4. This reduces the net surplus
ii former years to a little more than
,1,ooo being all that was left OF sur
lus OF S123. 2oS.54 Nov sc, 1896, when
he inspection and weighing fees were
educed from IS cents car to IS cents.
thus, as Inspector Rcishus states, on
Mig. ri last, when he had been in office
me month, he found that the surplus
lad shrunk $1o2o3244 in 80 months.
other words, during that length o.
inc OF the administration of Mr.. Clau-
en-, the finances OF the department. with
15-ccnt fee enforced, ran behind $780,,
90. This makes clear the necessity for
he increase OF the ice recently made,
md in addition, there had been the es-
Adjustment OF the board Of grain ap-
oeals, about calling for the further eN-
,enditurc OF $4,000 per year.
The law requiring that the department
shall be seli-supporting and that grain
inspection shall be borne by the ship
oers OF grain without any additional bur-
len upon the general Taxpayers, In
spector Reishus says: Therefore, the
business-like administration OF the de-
partmcnt, indeed, the maintenance OF the
entire state grain and warehouse system,
not to mention the support Of the new
Board OF Grain Appeals, demanded the
restoration OF the fees for inspection and
weighing"
An important reform effected has been
the turning of samples OF grain taken
by state inspectors at the Minneapolis
and Duluth terminals back to the state
by selling and placing the proceeds to
the credit OF the grain inspection fund.
This makes saving OF $1,000 per year,
or enough to pay the rental expenses Of
the Minneapolis and Duluth depart
ments.
The old practice was for the inspect
ing officials to gobble the samples. 1t
is estimated that in the Ia years Of the
department this steal may have reached
the sum Of $4,000. Inspector Reishus
rightly denounces the system as wrong
and demoralizing. The grain thus TAX
en-, Of course, is the property of the
shippers, but it being impracticable to
return it to the owners, the next best
thing to do is to sell it and place the
| proceeds in the fund from which the
expense of inspection comes, thus indi-
rcctly returning it to the owners, since
they pay the inspection expense.
Inspector Reishus was besought most
urgently, especially in Duluth, to devote
the grain to public charity, but he
found himself unable to do so, since
as he says: Gas public official the
law gave me no authority to devote the
money or property OF the department
to private uses or charity"
Inspector Rcisllus cxplodcs the hum,
bug that only long years can fit mcr
or service in the department. Two OF
three months experience, he shows, i:
ample for men otherwise qualified. "It
requires" says the inspector, Immense
y more experience and judgment te
grow 5o-cent wheat at profit than to
name the grade of the wheat after it i:
dumped into the elevator or car" ant
this he gives after 80 years experienc.
in the handling and growing OF grain
The present seasons crop is more diff
flcult than usual to grade, by reason o
the heavy fall rains which affected ;
large part OF the crop, and the rust ane
blight in different sections. The inspec
tor has no fear, however, that the out
come will not be satisfactory, for, h
: says: Growers and handlers of grail
arc, as rule, reasonable and iair-mind
ed men, and will appreciate an homes
and industrious effort to give jus
grades"
The policy that shall govern the de
l partment is thus outlined: 1T is II,
aim to establish uniformity and stabilit
$ OF grades, to give to the producer an
, dealer, the miller and Eastern purchase
S the same uniform grade and at all stage
c Of the market and seasons OF the yea
to give the same grade i'll the fall, whe
e the grain is in the hands Of the produ'
It cr, as i'll the winter or spring, when it
IS largely in the hands OF the dealers, mil
It er and elevators; to give the same graz
n | when wheat SC deoreeced nc ,uaIl