HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 179 
Mr. Covixie. No inspection department in the United States has 
up to the present time adopted this apparatus. 
Mr. Scorr. Or any similar one? 
Mr. CoviLuE. Or any similar one with the exception of the office 
in Chicago which adopted a similar apparatus for the inspection of 
flaxseed. The inspection of flaxseed upon the Chicago market is so 
precise that it is rare indeed that any objection is raised by anyone to 
the decision of the flaxseed inspection department of Chicago; but 
with that exception, no such apparatus is used. 
Mr. Brooxs. Are the same complaints made with reference to grain 
from the Argentine and Russian at European ports? 
Mr. Covitie. Yes, sir; they have a voluntary inspection in the 
Argentine, but in general our grain has a good reputation. 
he Cuarrman. What are your efforts directed toward in this matter 
of grading grain for foreign shipments? 
Mr. Covitie. Our present efforts are directed toward inducing 
present authorities who have charge of the grain-inspection depart- 
ments to take up this apparatus, to adopt certain definite mathematical 
standards for grain instead of the general standards which they have 
now, and which are impossible of precise application because they are 
eneral; to induce them to substitute this method of precise inspection 
for their present unprecise methods. There has been a public demand 
for inspection of grain under the Department of Agriculture, but it is 
the position of the Department that a national inspection of grain, 
except as a last resort, is undesirable; that if we can induce the present 
organized authorities to improve their methods of inspection—and_ it 
is easily demonstrable that it can be done—that the present agencies 
for the supervision of that inspection are in most cases amply sub- 
stantial for providing a thoroughly good grain inspection both for 
interior markets and export shipments. 
Mr. Bowre. It is that particular question that was raised by the 
Grain Dealers’ Association, to which I] referred when Mr. Spillman 
was concluding his remarks—at Minneapolis, Minn., October 8, 1903— 
protesting against the supervision of the sae of grain by the 
National Government at terminal markets. [Handing papers to Mr. 
Coville.] Have you seen that? 
Mr. Covinue. No, sir. 
Mr. Bowie. I wish you would look at it and give us your opinion 
on it. 
Mr. CovinuE. I was familiar with this resolution, but I had not seen 
it in this printed form. 
Mr. Bowir. Your attention has been called to it? 
Mr. Covrtte. Yes. That resolution is, I suppose, a protest against 
the bill which is now before Congress to create a national inspection 
under the direction of the Department of Agriculture. Our position 
with reference to that has been somewhat embarrassing because it has 
been believed that this bill was originated in the Department of Agri- 
culture in order to secure jurisdiction over these inspections. On the 
contrary, the Department of Agriculture does not desire to secure 
jurisdiction over this inspection, but does desire to have these present 
agencies of inspection a oo the way which we have shown them to 
perfect their inspection. I think that the principal reason why they 
have been slow in adopting this has been that they looked upon it asa 
method on the part of the Department to secure a move toward the 
