Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-04-12
DISCUSSES EFFO RTS TO
REMEDY i !: GRADE / !. y! INJUSTICE
.i(By O. p B. Jacobson, Railroad and
Warehouse Commissioner. "

NEHl ll.l N1A .7llg 01ASEs
:ABy. Q. +. B. Jacobson, Railroad and
Warehouse Commissioner
Earnest protests against the new
standards for grading wheat, as pro-
posed by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture, were voiced at a
meeting of State officials and grain
grading men in the Office of the Min
nesota Railroad and Warehouse Com
mission on March 8; 1922, at which O.
P. B. Jacobson, Chairman of the Com
mission presided. It was the sconcen-
sus OF opinion that the proposed stan
dards in no wise comply with the de-
mands Of the grain producers Of Min
nesota and the other stated in the
large spring wheat belt, as expressed
in numerous and various ways and re-
peatedly brot to the attention of the
Federal authorities of Washington.
We observe in the new rules fatlre-
fusal by the federal administration to
recognize the urgent demands Of the
farmers of the Northwest for fair and
reasonable grain inspection rules and
a'tota1 lack of consideration for their
welfare and prosperity at time when
they need every encouragement and
assistance that the federal and state
governments and the business world
can supply.
We are loath to take a stand in OPP
position to the constituted federal, au-
thorities on this important, question
F. but are impelled to this course thru
Il a sense Of loyalty to the people of
! the Northwest. We would be remiss in
our obligations as public servants
should we accept the proposition and
keep silent in the face Of such fragrant
injustice. s'2
We deplore the fact that the present
administration of the agricultural de-
partment is following precisely the
: path Of it's predecessor, which COM
pletely ignored every request of the
spring wheat farmers for modifca-
ton OF the arbitrary and technical rul-
es imposed by the Bureau of Markets.
In particular do we deplore that the
head of this department through the
public press. has announced to the
world that every one is satisfied with
the federal standards, except a "few
/ farmers organizations in the North
vest and some state grain officials.
In view of the fact that the Legisla-
ture Of Minnesota, the Minnesota
State Agricultural Society, the Mime
sofa Farm Bureau Federation, various
FARMERS, grain dealers associations
and many other organizations, repeat
edly have adopted resolutions urg-
ing a certain revision Of the grain
grades and 5ave sent numerous dele
cations to Washington, to present their
demands, the statement of the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture is as remarkable
as it is misleading H..
Commentator and praise are due to
congressman Halvor STEVENSON and.
Frank Clague of Minnesota, and H. IN: :
Owen, Publisher of the Farm, Stock
and Home, for their answering 10y
atty to the agricultural interests of
Minnesota and that aggressive war
fare to obtain justice for the farmers.
On them has fallen the brunt of the
resistance against the plans of the
millers organizations, by whom the
Federal Grain Inspection Act was lob
bied thru Congress and have, up to
date, successfully defeated any and
every attempt to restore grain inspec-
ton to a rational basis The invitation
of the secretary of agriculture to the
grain interests Of the Northwest to at
tend conferences at Chicago and Kan
sas City are not impressive. These
places are winter wheat markets and
have little or no interest in the hard
spring wheats of the Northwest, For
the same reason our farmers have
very little interest in the standards for
winter wheat. ~
Nevertheless another attempt will
be made to impress the authorities of
the agricultural department with a
justice of demands of the grain grow
ers of Minnesota and with necessity
Of granting some positive relief. Fail
ing to obtain any material satisfaction
the attempt to reach the departm emit
of agriculture will be abandoned and
the campaign for a restoration of ma,
tural and national grain inspection
rules will be concentrated upon rem.
edial legislation by Congress-. g.
ARCTANDFP