Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-19
THE QUESTION OF GRAIN GRAD.
ING

ING
Senator McCumber and other mem
bers of cur congressional delegation
have been invited to attend the North
western Grain Growers convention al
Minot, but their official duties will
probably prevent their being present
note in this connection, though not
at rnat meeting. 1t is Interesting t.
Senator McCumber is pressing his
bill for federal grain inspection, in.
stead of the present system of state
inspection, and recent document is
sued out of the senate of the United
States gives an interesting summary
of the work that has been done to-
ward federal inspection.
To the farmer who is engaged in
the selling of grain and whose price
depends upon the details Of inspec-
ton, the establishment of grades, the
deduction of dockage and the other
things that enter into the business
of the barter and sale of grain, there
is no subject of more Importance,
and none which is of greater financial
moment than the system of grain in
spection under which he disposes of
his grain. An arbitrary reduction of
grades, an unnecessary deduction of
dockage, these things means much in
dividual loss and enormous aggregate
loss to the farmers of the state. OBJ
servers of the present system, accord
ing to the digest that has been issued
by Senator M'cCumber, state that the
loss to the whole state is in millions,
and that this sum comes from what
should be received by the farmers and
goes into the pockets of the benefic-
iaries of the present system.
The question of grain inspection
has been one with which the state
legislature has been dealing for a
number of years. But, as is pointed
out, when the grain gets into Mime.
sofa where the terminal elevators are
it is under the Minnesota law and
subject to the Minnesota inspection,
so that the farmer has no recourse
but to take the grades and prices of,
Tered. State legislation, therefore, Is
of little value, and Senator McCum
Der would substitute for the present
inefficient and variable state inspec
ton, a system of federal inspection
based upon a scientific practice where
grain could be graded by federal off
Gals, without the influence of state
politics or of terminal elevator own
ers
There is, in the summary con
census of the opinion of bankers, bus
mess men, farmers and men of al
classes in this state, stating theil
favor of federal inspection, and theil
belief that the present state system
is inefficient, if not venal, anu COSTS
the people of the state millions il
losses. There are statistics present
ed to show that the output from
these terminal points of high grad,
wheat much greater than the receipt!
and that the output of low grade
Wheats is less than the receipts, prov
ing that a different system of inspec
tion prevails to favor the termina
elevators when selling and to hell
him when buying The farmer get!
the short end of both deals. Earl,
in the season, when the grain is com
ing in, it is shown that inspectors ar
rigid in grades, and farmers get tn,
lowest possible grade. Later in tn,
season, the rigidity lessons, but tn
farmer has then sold his wheat an,
the elevator man benefits by the cal
Ter grading.
All of this Senator McCumber be
lieves can be corrected by federal in
spection, under the supervision of tn
department of agriculture and hi
summary of the facts in the matter i
SO clear and concise that it is repro
duced here:
Present System Weakens
/. Grades and inspections ar
made by inspectors who owe their pc
sitions to the influence of the larg
elevator companies and their alleg
ance to the parties responsible 70
their appointments.
2. The chief inspector appoints al
deputy inspectors. If an appeal j
taken from the act of deputy flo
improper grading or for any othe
cause, such appeal is decided by til
chief inspector. The chief inspector
who is responsible for the efficienc
of his deputy can not very often owe