The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-28
MIXED WHEAT IS
STILL A PROBLEM
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GOING
INTO IT THOROLY.
Not So Easy Matter to Decide as Ap-
peared tho Case at First-The De-
partment of Justice Hesitates Over
the Point Of Proof as to Quantity Of
Canadian Wheat Exported-The Draw
back Plan Discussed as a General
Proposition.

New York, Dec. 2s.-The Journal of
Comerce says: Attorney General Moody
appears to find difficulty in so constru-
ing the drawback law as to permit the
rebate Of duties on Canadian wheat
to produce flour for export. It is easy
enough to determine the proportion Of
imported wheat used, and to show that
Hour enough is exported to carry it all
abroad, but some reliance must be
placed upon the word or the oath Of
the miller and the. exporter. There can
be no ANALYSIS Of the -four that will
prove technically what proportion of
foreign material it contains, and the
lack of this test is what the department.
of justice seems to sickle over. If
the law were amended, as has been pro-
posed, so that it was only necessary to
show that the equivalent of the i'm
ported wheat was contained in the ex-
for the difficulty; but, as it stands, all
the foreign material must 20 abroad in
the manufactured product in order to
secure the drawback Of the duty.
The !absurdity of such q requirement
is manifest. 1t would really not matter
tariff and the drawback law is con-
cerned, whether the imported material
was used entirely in manufacturing for
export or was used in conjunction with
domestic material, provided the export
ed product was sufficient to carry away
all the material imported or it's equiva-
lent. The duty. would be RENTED only
the material actually SO used would be
free from the tax. The domestic mate
rial. used for home consumption would
be sprotected'' and the foreign would
be burdened with the tax. The only
wrong in this is inherent in the whole
d 81 w a system, which gives the bene-
customers while refusing it to domestic
consumers. In the case of wheat at
the present time this is not only an in
jury in cost, but in quality. We have a
scarcity of hard wheat necessary for
making the best grade Of -four when
mixed with our softer varieties. This
Canada, but it cannot be used to make
flour for our own people without pay
ment of the duty, while it may be used
without such payment in supplying for
eign markets, provided it is all identi-
fed as going into the exported article.
and their. efforts to get the drawback
system adjusted to their industry for the
benefit of the export trade, are calcu-
lated, says the Journal of Commerce
to direct attention to the essential .inius.
tlce to domestic consumers Of the whole
system, which IS only lustifable as a
means Of encouraging exports at their
expense. They ought to have the benefit
OF free raw materials used by our manu-.
facturers, as well as foreign consumers
That plHl would be even more beneficial
to manufacturers and to the export
trade, while domestic trade and the
home consumer would share in the bene
| fit. The controversy going on over the
drawback is calculated to develop sen
timent in favor of the pO1icv Of free
raw materials, and unless the former
can be fairly adjusted, the latter Is
likely to come. It ought to come, any
Wav. r.. - =. MI ?: ~.