The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, November 4, 1918, Page 8

| EXperts' Ch allenge Bureau of Markets North Dakota Bulletin Shows Federal Grading Is More Against‘ Producers Than Old Minnesota Standards—Unworkable at Country Elevators ULLETIN No. 86, Vol. 5, of the se- ries put out by the North Dakota Ag- ricultural college, takes up in detail the points of de- fense made by the bureau of markets for the present federal grading of spring wheat. - The bureau’s reply to the North Dakota studies in this field had been to send a copy of Service and Regulatory Announcement No. 34 to the North Dakota commissioner of agriculture and a short letter which intimated that the questions raised had been so fully answered that there - was nothing further to be said. Tak- ing the several points in Announce- ment 34, Mr. Sanderson, expert miller of the North Dakota college, answers them as follows: § 1. The large number of subclasses provided by the federal grades make it necessary for the local elevator to mix several grades together. This elevator would need 72 to 162 bins to keep the grades separate, whereas local elevators generally have only 11 te 17 bins. In buying, the local elevater manager must offer a price enough lower for some of the wheat bought to cover the loss he may sus- tain on some other lots he has to mix together. GRAPING DOWN FOR OTHER GRAINS 2. In regard to grading wheat down for containing rye and barley, Mr. Sanderson says: “In our opinion, however, a better method for handling these admixtures of rye and barley would be to handle them in sample grades, because -to grade a lot of wheat down to No. b on account of its containing 7 per cent barley that would, if free from barley, grade No. 1 dark Northern is a very heavy pen- alty—14 cents a bushel.” The college studies show that as much as 10 per cent of barley should make a difference of only a little over 8 cents in milling value and 10 per cent rye makes a difference of only 5.37 cents a bushel. 3. The bureau of markets claims that the sub- grades established are based on differences in mill- ing values, and Mr. Sanderson’s reply is to-chal- lenge the bureau to publish the data on which these surprising conclusions are based: “If your office has published any data gathered from your investigational work showing the value of the different sub-classes of wheat or the value by grades of the subclasses, we have failed to see it. ; : “Again we say that if your office has the data shewing the justification for this subclassification, the publication of the facts would remove consider- able dissatisfaction with the federal standards.” 4. The bureau of markets takes credit for the large amount of wheat falling in the high-grade class in 1917, to which Mr. Sanderson replies that the increase is due to the large amount of wheat of very high quality produced in 1917 rather than to the federal standards which raise the require- ments for the high grades. ; “But we are at a loss,” he says, “to see how the Grand total Total 75,668 cars Total 75,668 cars 4 Real Comparison Between Minnesota and Federal Standards MINNESOTA STANDARDS APPLIED TO 1917 CROP .ev. 21,688,000 bushels at $2.21 per bushel $47,930,480 «.. 21,448,000 bushels at 2.17 per bushel 46,542,160 not close to the grain trade, the bu- reau appears in an even worse light. Here is the way the bureau of mar- kets publicity puts the comparison: UNDER OLD MINNESOTA GRADES Crop year 1911 only 0.3 per cent graded No. 1 hard. Crop year 1912 only 1.7 per cent graded 0. ard. Crop year 1913 18.0 per cent graded :.!. 16,728,000 bushels at 2.14 per bushel , 35,797,920 No. 1 hard, -. 4,601,000 bushels at . 3,103,000 bushels at 75,563,000 FEDERAL STANDARDS APPLIED TO 1917 CROP ‘Wheat received at terminals by grades and subclasses according to Service and Regulatory Announcement No. 34, dated May 16, 1918. DARK NORTHERN SPRING Subclass In gmde Market price u. 16,688,000 7,228,000 2,120,000 878,000 188,000 591,000 27,693,000 NORTHERN SPRING 17,612,000 13,736,000 5.039,000 3,177,000 RED SPRING HUMPBACK 188,000 104,000 90,000 454,000 75,563,000 MINNESOTA STANDARDS 75,663,000 bushels FEDERAL STANDARDS . 75,668,000 bushels Balance in favor of Minnesota standards federal standards can justly claim any credit along this line, because dark Northern subclass, accord- ing to the federal standards, requires 85 per cent or more of hard, vitreous kernels and a test weight per bushel of one pound heavier than the Minne- sota grades required. The Minnesota grades de- manded only 75 per cent of dark, hard, vitreous kernels and a test weight per bushel of 58 pounds.” FALSE COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT- CROP YEARS 5. The bureau of markets, in its figures to show the favorable results under the federal grades, makes the obvious error-of comparing the figures for the 1917 crop with Minnesota grade results for earlier years. Inasmuch as different crops vary widely these widely used figures prove nothing, and as a matter of fact if the Minnesota grades: had been applied to the 1917 crop of wheat the results would have been better for the farmer. In making thisfalse comparison ‘did the bureau of markets fool itself or did it knowingly scatter erroneous figures? 1If it was from ignorance, what shall we think about this bureau which claims to have the “know how”? And if it was with the intent to deceive the farmers and especially people . 6,136,000 bushels at 2.11 per bushel “12,946,960 2.07 per bushel 1,859,000 bushels at 2.08 per bushel 1.99 per bushel ard, 51324070 Crop year 1914 only 1.1 per cent graded 8,718,770 6,174,970 o 5.1 r t d $162,690,330 Crop_geas, 2016 only per cent graded " Under federal standards reports of licensed inspectors for the crop of 1917 showed that 86.65 per cent of the hard red spring wheat graded dark Northern spring, as follows: UNDER FEDERAL GRADES 22.08 per cent graded No. 1 9.57 per cent graded No. 2 2.81 per cent graded No. 3 1.16 per cent graded No. 4 .25 per cent graded No. 5 .78 per cent graded Sample Grade. 36.65 per cent graded dark Northern spring. “We make the assertion without fear of successful contradiction,” says Mr. Sanderson, “that an application of the federal standards to any normal crop will bring the producer less money than the Minnesota standards.” In the figures given elsewhere on this page Mr. Sanderson shows that the application of the Minnesota stand- ards to 75,563,000 bushels of wheat of the 1917 crop would have given the producers $258,140 more than they re- ceived under the federal grades, this balance in favor of the old system be- ing about one-half of 1 per cent. BUREAU SHOULD SHOW ITS DATA 6. In its circular the bureau of markets says: “You will recall that in order to make the grades reflect fairly and sympathetically the milling values of the various qualitieg of hard red spring wheat, three.subclasses were established.” This looks as if the bureau had been converted to grading according to milling values, Here is what Mr. Sanderson replies: 0. 1 har Crop year 1915 only 6.5 per cent graded 0. Total value by grades $36,880,480 15,757,040 4,568,000 1,852,580 389,160 1,199,730 $60,636,990 $38,215,010 29,395,040 10,632,290 7,820,460 5.070,520 | 3,085,600 $94,234,130 $2,064,000 1,594,240 $6,645,410 $285,660 212,160 180,900 133,960 44,590 58,6590 $915,660 ! $162,432,190 $162,690,330 162,432,190 $ 258,140 doesn’t it? “If your office has the data establishing the above . statement as a fact, has it ever occurred to you that a publication of these data would be highly educational, not only to the producers of wheat but also to the manufacturer and grain trade in , general? As your office is a public trust, and you a public servant, is the public asking too much if they ask for the publication of these data to prove that your department has made the proper deduc- tions, or must the public accept this bare state- ment as ai fact when existing circumstances and conditions are highly contradictory?” The careful studies of milling values made by the North Dakota experts of course directly con- tradict this statement of the bureau and there is no danger that the bureau will enlighten the public as Mr. Sanderson asks. In concluding the bulletin Mr. Sanderson says: “Therefore, we have no hesitancy in saying that the Minnesota standards, as carefully and uniform- ly administered, would give the producers better sptisfaction than the federal standards. We be- lieve further that the Minnesota standards could be modified to four, or at most five, grades and any normal crop bought from the producers at prices more nearly what it is worth and not hurt the s el el LN R b R DR e e S e ol i e B s e SRS BN i i SIS R SR B e e L s “A question is never settled until it is settled right.” proper kind of grain grading. They are not accepting the temp if it was put over with the help of a bureau of the department of agriculture. experts studying the grain-grading problem thoroughly and exposing from time to time the tricks and false state- - ments of the opponents of the farmers.. And there are only these two, Dr. Sanderson, because North Dakota is the only state where experts dare to the big interests. .On this pa age you will find some of the big points in Mr. : bureau of markets, which presides over.the federal . " factor, the bureau would jump into- a hole and pull the hole in after it.” . PAGR mIGHR. That is why the League farmers are still fig‘hfing for the orary victory of the grain interests as final; even E. F. Ladd and expert miller Thomas | take the side of the farmers as against | Sanderson’s reeent challenge to-the ades. If truth alone were the deciding In North Dakota |there d¥e-two N TR, 4 ; ,}, . et : S _,‘_,-,_i,_.__,_ < » ; o