The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-12
MAY NOT PASS
The Proposed State Grain In.
spectiOn Law.
Secretary Smiley Makes Hot
Statement.

lSldture VIII be able to enact new
grain inspection law at this late hour
| of the session. The bill. as it came
from the senate Tuesday, is not at
all satisfactory to many of the house
| members and to administration lead
ers. FAILURE to concur in the senate
amendments today means failure of
the Dill and 1T is not expected that the
mouse will be at all hasty in accepting
the senate repairs on the bill.
In fact, just at present, the new
grain inspection law isn't creating any
1everlsh rejoicing. 1t seems too full
OF Jokers that aim to give the grain
inspection department more author
1ty over the shipment of grain and
neither the shipper nor buyer is par
t1cularly proud of the measure
several house members declared to-
oay that they did not approve the bill
as passed in the senate. The house
mas but a few hours in which to ac-
cept these amendments and make the
new bill law. Failure to take ac-
ton today means the final death of
the bill
As Smiley Views Law.
Secretary E. j. Smiley of the Kan
sas Grain Dealers association. said
this morning in comment on the
mouse grain inspection bill as amend
ed by the senate late yesterday:
me report in the morning paper
OF the grain inspection bill is SO full
OF false and misleading statements
that it is difficult to discuss it. IF
there was Strong lobby from KAN
sas CITY board of trade, it operated
without my knowledge; and any mem
Der of either committee which consid-
ered the bill will verify this statement
excepting possibly Senator Shouse
VINO has a genius for knowing things
that are not so. For instance the
statement of Senator Shouse on the
floor of the senate that Missouri didn't
permlt samples to be taken by mem
oers OF the board of trade is entirely
raise; TO make that statement in good
faith reveals depth of ignorance
startling even in the distinguished
senator from Edwards.
Neither was the old law declared
unconstitutional stated in the
morning paper. Simply to get at the
truth, the following is what happened.
For four years state inspection
mas been so grossly incompetent as
to be worse than worthless; it cost
an average of probably a cent a bush
Ell dock on account of low and erron-
eous inspections; inspectors were APP
pointed because they had been good
fellows the fall before when votes
We're needed; if they happened to
know the difference between wheat
and rye, so much the better; If not
they could learn. Two years ago they
raised the fees to almost double any
other state, and then the wheat grow
ers and shippers kicked over the
traces; they told the department to
keep hands off and refused to pay the
fees. Then this political department
took the amazing stand that they had
more rights than the owner of the
grain, and would inspect and charge
for it over the protest of the owner.
The lawsuit followed: the supreme
court held they couldn't inspect if The
owner didn't want it.
so a bill was introduced by the
mouse committee on agriculture COW
ering some minor defects the lawsuit
had developed and declaring that in
spection was at the option of the own
er of the grain. The senate in effect
cut that provision out and made in
spection compulsory. Most of the
senators voting for it stated the
amendment gave optional inspection.
They were deceived by its clever word
ing. But Mr.. Geo. r. Allen, represent
ing the inspection department, and
the author of the senate amendment,
in answer to question, told the sem
ate committee that in theory it was
optional, but in practice compulsory
That ought to settle that. The bill
provides that no one shall inspect or
sample grain pretending to represent
any board of trade similar organ
ization.' OF course, all wheat shipped
to Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City,
Hutchinson, or any of the markets OF
the state must be sampled by some
one. The statement made on the
floor of the senate that samples were
sent by mail is one of the finest speci-
der my attention; it is so absurd that
it is laughable. Now the boards Of
trade are largely the agents of the
overland if they do not have the
right to go down to a car and draw
4 sample, then state sampling is COM
pulsory. In other words, the senate
amendment gives optional inspection
IN the first clause and then says But
every one must keep hands off except
the state That is what George Allen
meant when he said in practice it is
compulsory
LAS to the Iobby-that is another
misleading and untrue statement. the
only ones appearing against the
amendment that / know of have been
myself and Mr.. George T. McDermott,
who represented the growers and own
ers in the litigation, and who volun-
teered, without compensation, to pre-
sent conditions, as the testimony de-
Veloped them, to the committees. The
statement that either of us was enl-
ployed by the Kansas City or any 9TH
er board of trade is entirely false.
made for the simple purpose of pre-
JUDGING senators who were not ac-
quainted with the situation.
THE grain growers also demanded
qualifications of experience in the
grain business for inspectors. The de-
partment objected to any requirement
of experience being made. The reason
is obvious: if political friends hadn't
had the experience. they couldn't hold
the Job The senate however, left in
such a requirement.
1.-The whole truth is this: the state
department wants compulsory inSpec-
ton, because it means more jobs. Not
q man appeared representing any one
except this political department for
the amendment Against the amend
ment is every grain dealer in the state,
and they sent hundreds of kilograms
protesting against compulsory inspee-
ton; they are not a trust-that is an
other piece of imagination made from
I1XI, foy- fRfo
They are the small elevator owners
at the little shipping points over the
state; among them are nearly all the
cooperative farmer concerns in the