Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-07-08

seller or Duyer OF gram as q JnQge upon
the bench or a juror sitting in the trial
of a case in court. For this reason the
farmers of the northwest, believing that
the present system tends to unfairness
and favoriteism, have been asking for
federal grading and inspection of grain.
All of the grain exchanges in the United
States, with the exception of the Equity
Cooperative Exchange, a farmers agen-
cy, have bitterly opposed the demands of
the farmers upon this point.
Since the farmers asked for no infiu-
ence with the inspectors of grain, but only
to have such officials removed from all
possible influence of either buyer or sell
eT, the attitude of the exchanges in oppos-
ing such demand, is sufficient to warrant
the presumption that they are the benehc-
iaTies of the present system TO a very
material extent. This suspicion also
seems to be justified by an examination
| of the reports of chief inspector of grain
for Minnesota from 1909 to 1913, inclu-
, sive. On page IS of the inspectors re-
port for 1909 it appears that 25,344 cars
of barley was received at the terminals
of st. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth for
that year. OF this number 1929 cars or
90 per cent was graded above fee bar
ley. OF the remaining oo75 cars, 3o25
or SO per cent was graded No. / feed
barley.
Compare the figures quoted above with
the grading and inspection done by the
same department during the year 1913,
on page 2o of the report for 1918, the
following figures are shown:
Total amount of barley received in the
markets of Minneapolis and Duluth for
1913, 1903 cars. Of this amount 46lo
cars, 40 per cent, was given a grade
above feed barley. Of the remaining 1871
per cent that was graded feed barley, but
80 per cent vas ven graded No. iced.
The above figures disclose the fact that in
1909 90 per cent of all barley was graded
above feed, and SO per cent of what was
left was graded No. feed. They also
disclose that in 1913 but ITO per cent OF
all barley was graded above feed, and OF
the 1871 per cent remaining but 80 per
cent was ever given a grade'of No. / feed.
Neither can it be claimed that this was
the result of a poor barley crop for the
year 1913, for the falling off from the
standard of 1909 appears to be proper
Tomato and continuous. Accordingly, if
the scaling down process that has been
practiced since 1909 continues, and in the
same proportion, within two years from
this time not a bushel of barley will be
marketed above the feed grade within the
limits of Minnesota.
Here the question arises, was this bar
ley unfairly graded, and if so, who were
the beneficiaries? shall here introduce
as a witness Mr.. D. H. Stuhr, crop spec
ialist and barley expert, of Davenport,
Iowa. In his testimony before the Com
mittee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives, April 10 to June 1, Mr..
Stuhr said:
"Surely he got 7cents for this car less
than it was really worth, and | did not
pick out an extreme case from the ma
lytical report. There are cases referred
to which would show a difference of from
10 to 20 cents a bushel. These grades
referred to in the analytical report were
taken in as feed barley when 1t was alb
solutely mailing barley. Here | have
a line of feed barley, sample referen.
freight rates were, what the stuff was
sold for in Minneapolis and Duluth,
and what it was graded at in those
markets, | am simply giving you the
conditions as they exist. am simply
trying to do justice ali around, and
that is what | am here for, All of this
barley goes out of these markets as
mailing barley.
You do not need to take my word for
tidb, Jnc tGEUnlndl record vi aCGudi
sales will bear me OUT See page 1876
of hearings.
Barley is marketed in this country
annually to the extent Of about $50,
900, 600 bushels. II all other barley
markets are as bad as the chief inspec-
tors report and MI. Stuhr's testimony
indicate, then the loss sustained by the
farmers of the northwest on this crop
| alone through favoritism in the interest
of the buyer and against the seller, es.
timated at 70 cents a bushel, would be
$ls, o00, 600.
| 1t is little wonder that the grain ex-
Ichanges representatives swarmed
around congress TO prevent tho farmers
from getting a law enacted that would
establish federal grading and inspec,
ton of grain. They evidently find the
present system very profitable.
The plan seems to be to buy on grades
then have the convenient inspector
grade it low, and buy it accordingly.
| Hhen sell it on sample and for what il