The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1906-06-08
NORTH DAKOTA AT THE CAPITAL
Co.. ouosbe Tell through the Forum What Our People Doing
Washington,

Friday was great day in the senate.
The pending question was on the agri-
cultural appropriation bill. Senator
Hansbrough had introduced an amend
ment appropriating $4,000 to enable
the secretary of agriculture to establish
at such points as he might deem expe-
dent, laboratories for the purpose of ex-
aiming and reporting upon the nature,
quality and condition of any sample,
parcel or consignment of seed or grain,
or so much thereof as may be neces-
sary, and the Secretary of Agriculture
is authorized to report upon such sam
pies, parcels or consignments from time
to time, and the reports so made shall
serve as basis for the fixing of def
mite grades to be determined by the
Secretary of agriculture as the evidence
at hand may warrant.
This amendment was adopted and be-
came a part of the agricultural appro-
priation bill as it passed the senate. 1t
now goes to the house for the adoption
Of the amendment by that body.
The effect of that amendmen will be
to establish the national inspection of
wheat shipped from New Orleans, New
York and some other port, possibly San
Francisco, and establish national grades,
based upon a physical examination of
the wheat and it's true worth, to be ac-
companied on it's way to the markets of
the world by an agricultural depart
ment certificate of United States gov
ernment inspection. It will force all
exporters to adopt the government
standard.
The amendment was prepared by Sen
ator Hansbroug hand DR.. Galloway of the
agricultural department, and while it
falls far short of what it ought to be, it
was accepted and endorsed by Senator
McCumber who, however, offered an
amendment to this amendment, which
was tabled by the soothing and adroit
remarks of Senator Nelson who came
to the defense of Minnesota inspection.
Senator McCumber's amendment was
a provision for the necessary certificate
of such inspection to be sent to the con-
signor or shipper and one to the con-
signee.
I have heretofore quoted for the in
formation of your readers from the bill
providing for national inspection, from
the speeches and interviews with Sena-
tor McCumber, giving very clearly the
reasons why national inspection should
prevail. But he took the senate by sur
prise in his remarks in regard to the
proposed amendment. He quoted from
official reports and the decision of Judge
Sanborn, which was made public doc
ument, and is now ready for distribu-
ton, and gave sach an array of facts
and figures that the senate, so to speak,
was carried off its feet. It was mas
terly arrangement of the Minnesota
wheat ring, and expose of the Duluth
system of cheating on grades, keeping
almost entirely within the line of pub.
lished reports and the judicial decision.
Senator Patterson at the beginning
seemed to question the policy of gov.
ernmental interference in matters OF
this kind. He later characterized Sena'
tor McCumber's statements as inter-
esting and startling, and as showing a
condition of affairs so incurable and sc
deep rooted in it's fraudulent system
that the people are necessarily COM
PEELED to come to congress for relief,
and wondered if the people had become
so accustomed to fraud and graft that
they have come to the conclusion that
they see no way to struggle against it.
He said: 81 doubt if any Of the revela
tions of official fraud and graft that thu
last year has produced could be consid
cred as startling, almost as horrifying
as have been the revelations made b!
the senator from North Dakota" Ant
Mr.. Hansbrough remarked: II do no
think the senator overdraws the pic
ture."
In nutshell it was shown that Nortl
Dakota is cheated out of from So, 600,
600 to IS, 900, 900 annually by the mani
pulation of grades; that there had bee1
a gain to the wheat ring of 27.000, ,00
bushels of wheat from the dockage o
other frauds and that the great bulk o
low grade wheat was raised to highe
grades after it had left the hands o
the producer.
Minnesota was on trial, so to speak
and the Minnesota senators were on tn
defensive. The ''honor" of their stat
required it, Senator Clapp was in tn
ring parlance ''parallzed, he was no