The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-13
CULVER RETORTS.
Goes After Grain Dealers Association
for Resolving" That His De-
partment is Worthless.


w. W. Culver. state grain inspector,
is after the State Grain Dealers asSo-
citation. At it's last meeting, in a series
of ''whereases'' and resolves, the grain
dealers association declared that the
present system of grain Inspection is
faulty and that it ought to be taken out
of the hands of the state and placed in
the hands of the association. They de-
clared that they had discovered this
after trying their check-weight bureau
for two months.
A bill has been introduced into the
present legislature to turn the entire
grain inspection over to the grain deal
ers' association by allowing the associa-
ton to elect the chief inspector and
all the deputy inspectors, forty or fifty
in number. This, it is claimed, is on a
par with allowing the state board of
agriculture to elect it's secretary, or
allowing the miners to elect the mine
inspector.
The difference between these associa-
tions is that the grain dealers restrict
their membership and do not allow all
shippers to become a part OF the aSso-
citation. A year ago the association
went so far as to take steps to have the
railroads refuse to furnish cars to track
shippers and to farmers who wished to
ship their own grain. 1t is also against
the policy of the association to allow
its members to bid against one another
for wheat, and the members of the as
ISOLATION who are competitors are in
structed to form pools to keep from
running up prices when buying from
farmers
For these reasons there is opposition
to putting the grain inspection depart
ment into the hands of the association.
In an open letter to the president of
the association concerning the reSOlu-
lions, State Inspector Culver says:
After two months trial it is where
aSed' that We are it; and resolved to
get rid of the bonded and commissioned
state weigher, then incorporate and en-
ploy checkmen who can do no more
than the state weigher has already
done. It is also 'whereaSed' that the
present system is wrong. yet you pro-
pose nothing better for your corporation
or checkmen. Twice you condemn it;
yet it is your purpose to continue 1t
under the supervision of an interested
plant the disinterested responsible
states weigher. / am right with you
in condemning the present system, in
so far as the weighing facilities are
concerned. 1 am dead against you in
your scheme to place this important
work back in the hands of a corporation
such as the present law suDDlanted;
and that is what this resolution means.
1t further means a money making and
salary paying snap, beneficial only to
the ones who have the pull on the plum
tree. You can not hope to do any bet
ter than is being done now wherever
the Kansas law has jurisdiction Grim
inal carelessness' is charged to the
Kansas state weighmaSterS. I have de-
manded of you in writing the name or
names of the careless ones and the To-
cation of its commitment. Two weeks
have passed without reply to my de-
mand, save in private conversation you
admit that you can not Why these I'M
derhanded methods? Have not the Of
fcers of the Kansas Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION done enough for the grain
dealers to warrant them in confidently
and boldly making known their plans?
Have not the state weighers faced your
WithStOOd his RihaS and curses.
and saved you dollars enough to war
rant you in openly counseling with him
to the betterment of the service? Has
his services warranted the SlanderouS
thrust in the back and in the darkness
of your closed meeting when he was not
by to make defense? 1 have always en-
joyed your preaching honesty. was in
hopes to enjoy its practice"