Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-25
GRAIN INSPECTION.

| SVSNsN -
COMPLAINT From French importers OF
American Cereals.
In submitting a translator OF a let
ter from the Societe pour la DEFENSE
! du Commerce ct de 1ndustrie, OF Mar
settle, Consul-General Robert P. SKIN
ner comments:
! This is as its name implies. de-
fensive organization, composed Vi
hundreds OF the most substantial busL
mess men of this community. complain
! ing of the carelessness with whlch
Igrain.inspection certificates are de-
livered at various American ports
and on which several reports have
been made in the past. 1t Is my
understanding that the Montreal Ger
tificates complained of usually cover
grain In transit from the Northwes-
tern States. In acknowledging TINS
Communication. the correspondents
have been requested to supply a more
definite statement, il possible. but
thus far none has been received. The
letter fro mthe society dated at Mar
seille, July l, Is as follows:
We have been consulted recently
| by several Of our members who are
engaged in trade with the United
States, and who complain in regard
I othe certificates OF inspection de-
lliyered at various American ports up
on products in transit 10 our port.
Onr members cali to our attention
| the exaggerated ease with which tnese
certificates are delivered both at New
York and at Montreal, and the ire
uuent inexactitudes winch result from
the method of procedure In vogue.
Our members suggest that il no rem
edy can be found, the French bust
ness interested might be compei'ed
to exclude from rs contracts arrivals
from the ports complained OF, as nave
been excluded already shipments from
the Gulf OF Mexico by the determin1
ton of buyers for similar reasons:
II occurs to us that in your capaci-
~ AZ an authorized representative o;
the United States at Marseille. 1t rs
desirable to bring this state OF at
fairs to your notice as it might be-
come very prejudicial to relations
with the northern part OF the Un'teo
States and Canada.
| II has occurred to US that you would
be glad to write 10 the proper Depart
ment Of your Government, In order 10
| give information Of these complaints
| of which we are the echo, and ask
your Government to intervene beVore
the inspectors charged with the veri-
fication OF the quality Of merchandise
shipped to France; and TO require OF
them that they fulfill their duties
with the exactness which Is ndiS-
lpensable to the maintenance Of COM
mercial relations between our re-
Ispective countries.
We thank you in advance. sir. foF
1.-THE service which you viii thus rem
der to the commerce. which inter
present and to French business inter
ests, and We beg YOU to receive. etc.
1t Is my understanding that a bill
lis now pending before the United
States Congress. the object OF which
| IL to provide for uniform Government
OF grain, and II Is my per
sonal conviction that complaints viii
cease only when the Government
does undertake this important work
In the vast majority Of cases inspec
ton certificates are issued with the
greatest care. but there are Just
enough instances Of csrelessness ana
lack OF uniformity In inspection meih-
DDS to give rise to serivvs .ompiaiI,s
rom time to time.
| Thus far Amsrican boards Of trahe
and chambers Of commerce. although
Informed OF these complaints, have
failed 10 provide a. effective remedy
tby means Of a mutual understanding
and the organization Of a conpreher-
sive inspection service under their
own control. II Is obvious that In 50
important a matter as the inspection
Of grain for export, differences in ac-
ADMINISTRATION methods can work great
mischief. and tend to break down
present system Of selling American &C.
reals on the basis Of certificates ra'h-
er than Of samples. n private trade
ORGANIZATIONS nox issuing these Ger
jtifica,es viii not surround them with
such safeguards as 20 MAJ eertis-
Gates issued at every port OF eQuai
value. the only alternative is for the
government to do what private initia-
tive has thus far failed 20 accomplish.
Cnoa,far ana TraAo Rfnprfs