The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-18

Determining the Result of the
Last State Campaign.
The special joint committee appointed
to investigate the charges made during
the last campaign as to the conduct o.
the state grain inspection department and
the control and sale of binding Irvine at
the state prison submitted its report yes
terday. 1t was received and ordered
printed In the journal. Mr.. jacobson
thought at least LOCO extra journals ought
to be printed In order to allow members
TO distribute the same. Mr.. Mallette
wanted 1000 copies printed, but the house
decided 1000 would be enough
Inc report and recommendations Of the
committee, which are signed by J. B. ia
cobson, chairman. follow:
HERE ARE THE FINDINGS.
We find from the evidence produced.
l. That the grading of wheat has not
peen uniform; that prior to the month
OF october the new crop of wheat had
not been graded solely on Its merits. it
being the policy of the inspection de-
partment to give lower grades later.
z. mat the system Of appeal from the
of little benefit
8. That 1t appears that some Of the in
Spectors have been incompetent or care
a. That the weighing Of the grain at
the terminals is carried on in q loose man
ner.
B. That the farmers suffer heavy losa
by shipping uncleaned wheat and by load
ing wheat into dirty and unswept cars.
From the investigation had before this
committee, 1t clearly. appears to this COM
nlttee that wheat inspections have not
been uniform throughout the year; that
the grading Of wheat has been rigid dur
sng the gst d three ZEE or four weeks Of EACH
balance Of the year. and we cannot in
TOO strong language condemn this prac-
tlce, as 1t must necessarily result in great
a large proportion Of the crop has been
marketed before the change takes place
and on all wheat sold prior to that time
the loss must necessarily fall on the
producer. From testimony token before
your committee
LOSS TO THE PRODUCER.
No reasons have been produced by the
department of inspection in the testimony
this. committee that the system in vogue
| In the department can result in anything
put dead loss to the producer, and must
necessarily be to the advantage Of the
buyer. To prove this point we quote the
following testimony Of A. c. Clausen,
chief Inspector:
the committee this year Is this, and all
the witnesses that have been before the
committee, / have heard some and some
l have not, have complained that this
condition Of things existed; that early in
the season the inspections made by your
inspectors was very severe against tha
producer, and that subsequently,, later IN
the season, somewhere about the middle
or october. and from that on. much more
liberal grades were given to the producer
So far as 1 know. and I guess that the
committee will bear me out in this state
ment, that they all observed the differ
ence between the commencement of the
season and up to the middle Of October
ana from that on, and no witness was
able to explain why 1t should have been
SO, but stating the fact as they observed
It; o What explanation T, have you. If any,
as cnle1 grain inspector, to make to that
condition of things?
CLAUSEN ADMITTED IT.
"a. I will concede that statement Is
true to certain extent, but it Is true of
every crop of wheat-sthat we have ever
handled Ga since the department started in
the fourteenth year I have been in the
work, as deputy inspector and as chief
From this testimony 1t appears clearly
to your committee that the wheat early
In the season is not inspected upon it's
merits, but from an over-cautious desire
what they deem is necessary to keep the
standard of the grade. 1t appears from
the testimony partly quoted above that
this rule Of rigid examination continues
from three to four weeks, and If this was
the only damage resulting from this sys-
tenn OF inspection the loss would not be
so disastrous, but from this very fact the
country buyer becomes over-cautious in
buying, and in order to protect them
selves generally continue the rigid grad
ing from two to three weeks after the in
spection department at the terminal
points has changed their system of grad
ing, and this results in additional heavy
loss to the producer throughout the state
From this 1t appears that nearly one-third
Of the crop has been marketed each year
before the farmer is enabled to get the
grade that his crop merits.
This system of rigid inspection early in
the season that is deemed necessary by
the department Of inspection does not
reasons given for this rule of the depart
ment were not convincing to your COM
mittee as either being just or necessary
to carry out the idea Of a Just and i'm
and buyer, and your committee would
strongly recommend to the department of
continued and that wheat should be grad
ed on its merits. whether it be in Janu-
airy or September. Wheat should be
no other reason. and not because It was 9o
SO graded in the month of September or
January.
APPEAL PROCESS TOO SLOW.
Another complaint that appears from
the testimony Of the shippers taken be-
fSat your ta committee is the fact
the present system is not only slow and
cumbersome, but to carry it to a final
completion before the commission Is so
expensive and results In so much delay
that 1t amounts to practical fmpossi-
bility to get justice in that way and your
committee Is strongly of the opinion that
Of appeals at both Duluth and Minneap-
oils, now passed both branches Of the
sut IN speedy % IN ana Just
Of the complaint as between the shipper
and buyer where an unjust inspection has
been had by the track inspector, and we
believe that this bill. II 1t becomes q law,
will result In a practical solution of the
question.
Judging from the number of complaints
in regard to inspection, 1t has become
present system is far from perfect. as 1t
has in a large measure to depend upon
the judgment Of the inspector and no
system has yet been in :Ogue in the de-
partment that has resulted in q uniform
ity of grading. Upon this point the COM
mittee has sought to find a solution. If
possible, Of better system. Upon this
point the committee has taken the testi-
spector and chemist of the Northwest
ern consolidated mills at Minneapolis
SHOULD HAVE TRACK SCALES
While this system may not be q solu-
ton Of the question entirely, your COM
mittee was impressed with the demonst-a-
ton that he made before the committee
and believe that. at least to certain
extent, the system should have a fair
trial by the department, at least in some
of its branches and believe that 1t could
be advantageously introduced in prac-
teal way as an aid to the board Of ap-
peals in establishing the true grade of
the wheat at any season of the year.
8. A number Of samples of wheat were
been given certain grade by the track
inspector In September and the same