The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-05-05
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER
By PARKER LaMOURE

That a modification IN the present
administration of the national grain
grading law may be expected short
ly was the hope expressed by repre-
sentatives Of the wheat-growers of the
Northwest here last week, following
two day conference with Secretary
of Agriculture Wallace, The meet
ing was called by the Secretary in ac-
cordance with resolution recently
passed by the Minnesota Legislature
which petitioned the Department of
Agriculture for more liberal inter
probation of the present grading law.
This law, according to the representa-
lives OF the growers, is, as now ad
ninistered, exceedingly unjust to the
wheat producers in the so-called hard
wheat states of the Northwest
Among those appearing in the in
terests Of the farmers and in favor Of
a modification of the present grading
system were: Representatives o. B.
Burtness, George NJ. Young and Jas.
Sinclair, Senator E. F. Ladd, Commits
sioner of Agriculture, J. N. Hagan
and J. H. McGovern of North Dakota;
Representatives Halvor Stevenson
o. P. B. Jacobson, Senator Sullivan,
Of Saltwater, Magnus johnson, Equity
representative, Senator Cummings,
and Ole Sageng of Minnesota; as we'll
as delegation from South Dakota
which included a number of prominent
Equity men.
Although no definite decision was
made by Secretary Wallace those at
tending the interview seemed impress
ed with the fact that the Secretary
OF Agriculture was giving their pro-
posals serious consideration. At the
end Of the conference, Mr.. Wallace
stated that he would go into the ques-
tion very thoroughly and to this end
would cooperate willingly with repre-
sentatives Of the Northwestern grow
ers. Accordingly, several members
Of the state delegations have been re-
quested to remain in Washington for
a time to confer with experts Of the
Department.
The entire North Dakota delegation
in Congress is standing firmly behind
the demand of the farmers for a
change in the grading system. In
speaking OF the present administra-
ton Of the national law, Representa-
tive Burtness declared that the reg
ulations laid down by the Department
we're altogether too technical and so
discriminatory as to act against the
best interests of the growers Of North
Dakota and the adjoining wheat
states.
GDngresSmcn from the states of
Minnesota, Montana, and the Dakotas
have previously interested themselves
with this problem but to date their ef-
forts have been without effect. Dur
ing the administrations of Secretar-
'es Houston and Meredith Congress-
man Young, Stevenson and others,
with delegations from their respect
we states made repeated efforts to
persuade the Department Of Agricul-
ture to liberalize the grading system
hut neither of the secretaries under
the Wilson regime, seemed disposed
to alter the existing regulations.
Representatives Of the milling in
terests, as in the past, appeared at the
conference in favor of the retention
Of the present grading system.
Secretary Wallace has informed
Congressman George NJ. Young that
seed loans in the Northwest to date
have been completed as follows: North
Dakota, 1904 loans, for total of
s663, 900; Montana, 4,785 loans; to-
tai of s6SO,OO0; Idaho, 434 loans, a
total of S39, 1000; Washington, 40 loans,
total Of $1,000; total number of
loans for the four states, 1858, or
81 ,3S5, 900.
The appropriation for seed grain
loans to farmers in drought areas
was $4,000 900.
The House Committee on Agricul-
ture has completed hearings on bills
proposing regulation Of future trading
on grain exchanges and it is consider
ed probable that the Tincher- Capper
bill will be made the basis Of com.
mittee measure to be reported to the
House.
In the Ways and Means Committee
the permanent general tariff bill j!