The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-27

came from the producers and the indie
pendent shippers: under the administers
ton of the present inspector, Mr.
Reishus, the complaints have been con-
fined almost exclusively to those having
their inception in the editorial offices of
the Republican press.
Under Clausen, the injustice ard IN
equality of the inspection was so fragrant
as TO result in the holding Of Indignation
meetings throughout the farming dis
tricts ali over the state; under Reishus,
the cordial treatment and approval which
the department has received al the hands
of both growers and dealers, signifies
that, in spite of the difficult character of
the inspection during his term, the work
of grading has proceeded with satistac-
ton and success.
Under Clausen, complaints from the
farmers received as a rule but little or
no attention; under ReiShus the most
thorough investigation was afforded IN
every instance. IN fact not d specific
charge has been made against the de-
partment's work that has not been clear
ed up to the entire satisfaction of the
complainant. the investigation invariably
showing that the departments position
was just and right.
Under Clausen hundreds of thousands
of dollars were lost to the producers OF
Minnesota through unjust aid unneces-
sary discrimination; under Reishus
thousands have been saved to them in
single year by according them no more
than was justly their due. Nor are the
distinctions between the two admlnistra>
tons by any means confined to the mat
ter of grades.
Under the old regime for example,
employees were retained on the pay roll
whether their services were required or
not; under ReiShus these useless an
wi
as the complexion of the railroad com
mission permitted. To Illustration Nov.
3 last, Inspector Reishus pointed out to
the commission that the services of
Cashier Becker, Deputy Curtis and Help
er Kirk, of the ST. Paul office, could
well be dispensed with, and recommend
ed their discharge. The commission, at
that time, however, was not in harmony
with the administration, Mills and Beck
er being in the majority and by vote
of two to one decided to ignore the in
spector's suggestion. Cashier Becker
was accordingly allowed to draw salary
till the 18th of December and the other
two until the beginning of the new year.
Whereas had the inspector been allowed
to let them out, when he found that
their services were not required instead
of being compelled to wait until Knox
succeeded Commissioner Mills, the saw
ing to the department in salaries would
have been over $500. A small amount.
you may say, but sufficient at least TO
show the difference between the two ad-
ministrations in their conceptions of
duty and economy.
Again under Clausen it was the GUS
tom of the inspectors to appropriate
grain samples for their own profit The
effect of this practice certainly was
nothing # not demoralizing. Besides the
petty jealousies and tricks resorted to
by those eager to secure their share Of
the plumber, there was always the temp
tation to take unnecessarily large and
numerous samples. Cars could thus be
looted of thousands of dollars in the
course of time without the slightest fear
of detection. Estimating the value of
the samples at no more than 81, coo a year.
which is unquestionably low figure
the aggregate taken from the shippers
and growers converted into the pockets
of the inspectors under Republican rule
amounted to no less than $4,000 snug
sum, to say the least, with which to per-
petuate this and other abuses.
Under the department as organized by
Commissioners Ringdahf and Knox all
this has been changed. The department
now sells the samples and devotes the
proceeds to defraying the expenses of in
spection. This is as 1t should be- The
samples belong to the shippers, and mas
much as it is impracticable to return
them to their rightful owners. distributed
as they are through several states, 1t is
but proper that the proceeds should go
to curtailing the expenses of inspection,
which the shippers have to meet Any
other disposition would be Irregular, un-
businesshke and contrary to law.
Since stopping the practice. in vogue
under Clausen, over $1,7OO have been
turned into the inspection fund from the
sale of samples and this, too, in less
than a year.
Now, is there farmer, a shipper or
business man anywhere who, in view
of these facts, will not concede that the
: inspection service has been improved,
that the integrity of the officials has been
strengthened, and that it is to the inter-