Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-01
Ten Thousand Dollars is Provided
for the Purpose.
GRAIN INSPECTION NOT so EASY
Burkett Provision Goes Out of Bill on
Point of Order.
HELD TO BE NEW LEGISLATION
Senators Nelson, McCumber aud Teller
Take stand Against the Pro-
posed Plan of standardIEa-
tion of Grain.
CFrom a staff Corrospondent.l


WASHINGTON, April SO-(special Tele-
gram)-The senate practically completed
consideration of the agricultural appropria-
ton bill today laying It aside, however, so
that Senator Hepburn of Idaho may be
heard upon items relating to the forest
service. The senate without the change
Of a word passed Senator Burkett's amend
ment providing for the demonstration and
illustration 'of the method for making de-
natured alcohol on scale suitable for
utilization by farmers or associations of
farmers" This amendment, which was in
serted by Senator Burkett, was suggested
! by Secretary Wilson after a consultation
with the law officer Of the Agricultural de
partment as being all that was necessary
! to make the demonstration at the corn ex-
position in Omaha next December.
| As the item relating to the bureau OF
| chemistry was not changed in any manner
whatsoever and the increase given by the
senate committee over that adopted by
the house appropriation includes $4,000 FOR
demonstration work at Omaha and this
amount It is believed will he agreed to in
conference between the two houses.
Grain Bill Not So Easy.
While Senator Burkett had little difficulty
! in securing the appropriation for the Ma
| tonal Corn exposition, he ran up against a
"snag" today when his amendment au-
| thorizing the secretary of agriculture to
establish laboratories at points he may
deem expedent for the purpose of report
ing and examining upon the nature, quality
and condition OF seed or grain, such reports
to serve a basis for the fixing of definite
grades and "such grades wher so fixed TO
become the official standards for the grad
| ing of grain" The "snag' which Senator
/ ~.
of Senators Nelson of Minnesota. Macumber
of North Dakota and Teller of Colorado,
Senator Nelson making a point of order
against the amendment on the ground that
| it was general legislation of the most
! flagrant character, as 1t provided for Off
cIal grades Of grain by the government
I While the point was reserved in order that
Senator Burkett might explain It's pro-
visions which developed into a most spirited
colloquy between the senators mentioned.
the point was finally renewed and sustained
by the vice president.
Intent of the Bill.
| During the discussion OF the amendment
| Senator Burkett took occasion to say that
! the government had a number of labora-
tories for the purpose of examining and re-
! porting upon the nature, quality and con-
dtions of samples of grain that are sent
in He stated that the amendment did not
contemplate general grain inspection, as
! contemplated by the bill of Senator Nc
| Cumber who has introduced a general in
| spection bill The senator from Nebraska
said the only object of the amendment was
| that after they had made their inspection
! in the laboratory, the law now pro-
vides, that they shall promulgate that
| the standard of grain.
Senator McCumber was of the opinion
! that nothing could be gained by the Bur-
kett amendment that It did not fix the
! grading of grains generally; that 1t gave
the Department of Agriculture control over
none of the grading at all, but simply pro-
| vides that the inspector may take a
| pie. which he may examine and call that
sample "the United States standard and
give it a certain grade without any pro-
| vision for reaching the grain back in the
! interior of the country or OF enforcing that
! grade I'm any of the great grain markets of
| the United States.
| Senator Burkett controverted this posi-
! tion and thought it would do more than
that and that the good effect OF II would be
especially noticeable, particularly in the
foreign markets This amendment. he said.
does not add an inspector or a dollar of
cost to the work that the government is
already doing, ana he told about the near
| ings before the agricultural committee upon
| the McCumber bill. which developed that
the grain growers of the United States are
/ being Handicapped by the fact that when
4 grain of certain grade was sold and
] shipped to Europe IL did not mean anything
and the buyer could not rely on the grade;
] that Minneapolis had its own standard aud
| that Illinois might have its own standard,
as well other grain producing states and
/ it could easily be seen where that would
! land the grain grower. He believed the
/ amendment would be great help to for
/ eign buyers because it would tell them just
exactly what they should get Notwitbl
! standing his earnest efforts TO show tha
/ the point OF order was not well taken THE
/ president Of the senate could not see Il
that way and the amendment was knocked
out.