The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-04
STATE MARK IT.
Inspection Bureau to Grade
Kansas Flour.
Hackney's Plan to Bring on the
Kansas
MILLERSs MILLENNIUM
To Strengthen Sales in Foreign
Markets.
Advertise, Says Topeka Milling
Co.'s President,
MILLENNIUM
And Divide Expense of Out
pointing Northwest.

In order that Kansas -four may get
recognition in foreign markets, where
it is steadily gaining foothoId and de-
served reputation for merit Herbert
Hackney, president of the Topeka Mill
ing company, proposes that a state
bureau of inspection be established
It would not matter what one of Kan
sas' many mills ground the -four. if it
had the states stamp upon it. That
would assure the market of its quality
and aid in the advertising Of the Kan
sas product In contending against the
Northwest it is a case of scattered mills
combining their product in effect but
not in manufacture.
In support of his plan Mr. Hackney
wherever Kansas hard wheat -four
has obtained q footing abroad it has
given excellent satisfaction.
THE mills OF Kansas are small as
compared with the immense mills OF
Minneapolis, and, being operated sep
arately under Independent management,
the products of the different mills are
be if all Kansas mills were controlled
by one management and were Compel
ed to grind to common standard
Many of the mills are as well equipped
as any mill in the world and can and
do make flour equal in quality and nm
ish to any flour produced by any mil
in any land.
Composition often forces prices
down to cost of manufacture or below
and there being no standard to which
each miller is compelled to work, they
separately turn out flour to meet tne
price and in too many instances, the
quality is below what should be called
Kansas hard wheat patent. In this
way Kansas hard wheat flour have neen
less regular in quality and finish than
they would be if all were forced TO
maintain quality to equal a fixed stan
dard. In the home market, the mills
do not sacrifice quality to meet price
they largely sell to established custom
ers direct and have a personal interest
in maintaining quality so as TO retain
the confidence of their customers
grocers and bakers
TT would rebound to the credit of the
great state of Kansas if a law were en-
acted by the state legislature estaD liSn-
ing an inspection bureau, and employ
expert inspectors to inspect all hour
leaving the state, and allow no -four to
leave the state which did not equal the
grade covered by the marking or name
on the package.
If the flour was branded first pat
emit let the inspector require that II
euualed the standard of first patent
established by the bureau. The same
rule to apply to second patent, bakers
grade, and low grade If the STANDARD
of first and second patent were ma in
tanned to a high degree OF excellence,
II would be but a short time before
Kansas hard wheat patencs would be
the favorites the world over. another
great advantage possessed by the large
mills and milling combinations OF the
northwest is that they csin afford to ad-
vertise their hours more extensively
and persistently than any mill or group
of mills in Kansas can afford to 90
1T is q wen known fact that IN
Iowa Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and
Indiana, Kansas hard wheat flour gives
as good satisfaction to the trade as
flour put out by the large mills in the
northwest.
with our inspection bureau in Kan
sas and by compelling all mills in the
state to work to CON mon standard,
having the stan p of the bureau on every
sack leaving the state, Kansas patents
would win out everywhere and every
time.
This one feature would put Kansas
fours to the fore in all foreign markets
and increase the milling capacity of the
state very materially. One great han
dicap of the Kansas miller is the rate
on flour to foreign markets. wheat IS
bought in Kansas by what is termed
favored shippers and sent abroad at
reduced rates not given to the mills
nor yet to the grain men who DO not
enjoy the confidence of or are not
guests at the feasts given by the raul
road naagnates to their favored friends.
In this way foreign millers can buy
Kansas wheat and grind Io into Hour
| and underseu the Kansas miller IN
| those markets. Then, too, many Euro
pean countries impose a heavier import
tax on flour than upon wheat wnlch
gives the foreign miller still another
advantage over all American nlllers.
1.-The only things that viii help the
Kansas nillers to overcome these IN
I equalities in conditions are excellence
/ Of products due to state inspection and
community of interests among Kansas
millers. so that advertising expenses
can be borne pro rata by all mills in the
state.
when these have been accomplished
the millennium will have arrived to the
Kansas millers-