The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-15
Communicated
unA IL az TRADE.

il The Heard OF Trade bill now pending
before the IegislatureP As the leading
iaea ar the canvass In which that body
was chosen was reform, the occasion
may not be deemed Inappropriate Tor
lrrirr the adoption OF some method
and fixed principles In our future legls-
lntion instead of the crude and thought
less course which has been hitherto
pursued. IL we do this, oil the powers
conferred upon this board, which nre
not now enjoyed by the Merchants Ex-
change, will be found highly objection
able. IL not positively unconstitutional.
/. This purely voluntary. self.oonsti-
ttlted body Ia to possess the power 20
establish and maintain uniformity IN
commercial usage. NOW, oommerola,
usage IL u part OF the general law or
the land, Of which, when once estab"
jiahed. courts are bound TO take notice.
TO exist IL must be uniform. Hence, II
the above provision hos any meaning,
ii eonfers upon this board the power OF
iegislating not merely for themselves
but for the entire people. Vah the
legislature delegate such power TO suoh
bodyP All tho authorities are adverse
to the existence OF such power. LII
may pe said that no greater evil Will re-
aulf from this than now does from the
t1niyerghlly admitted usage OF mer-
chants. But this is an error; for un-
der this law the existence OF usage
would be established by the mere will
III this board instead Of being derived
~ the courts from inquiry into the
long .continued. uniform and reason
able eourae OF trade. Tho declara-
Hon Nv the board that certain
course of business was the meroan-
file usage would make 1T SO. though
Id had not been acted upon longer than
n month. This would be in effect the
aubstitutiou OF statutory for custo mary
Inv of an artificial, varying and often
times absurd rule for one which alta ms
authority only after its usefulness has
been thoroughly tested by experience.
Of the superiority OF the latter over the
former, no man who Is acquainted with
the history OF law can for moment
doubt. That the latter only requires a
very little occasional pruning, while
che former needs often to be grubbed
,Ip, Is sufficient proof OF this.
y, The bill provides for an inspec.
tion, absolute as to some articles, and
voluntary as to others, by appointees
Of the board, while the most important
article of our, commerce -ootton-h
operation. This inconsistency on the
part of it's trainers is an admission o.
the weakness of the principle In
volved in the bill. 1T it Ii
proper to prohibit the sale OF -four
rrain or hay in this city without in
speetion, why should pork, or beef. Of
cotton. or sugar be exempt from the same
formality Why should q man be re-
fused tho privilege Of selling his pro
purchaser for 1t, because 1t may not bI
such as an inspector would brand o.
mprehantable An article may not b.
fit for the use to which 1t Is ordinaril,
applied, and yet possess value for SOM
other use. < barrel Of pork may b.
condemned as food and yet be valuable
to the soap. boiler. Why should th
owner be deprived of that value whicl
really exists in 1t by the prohibition o
its sale? Why, when inspe 9tion is dis
/ pensed with. are the fees ehargeabe OIL
that rcnount still colleetible VIII
should tho people be burdened witt
sinecureships for men who render n
service in return for the contribution
levied upon them =? No intelligent an
satisfactory answer can be given +
these questions; and this fact IL o sutll
oient condemnation OF the entire sys
tenn OF inspection, which is q relic &
ignorance and barbarlsm. NO rensol
can be given why. II Lhave one hundre
barrels Of flour to sell. 1t should b
necessary for me to call In an inspector
Or at least pay him for permission
which would not equally apply to tn
sale Of u horse, q COW or watch.
Commerce should be as free Us th
air: all shacltles imposed upon 1t ar
foolish and wrong. Ii the purchaser 6
any article needs the experience On
skill of another in its selection, lot hir
employ one Of his own choosing an
nay him for it, as is done with cotto
and sugar. In that case q service
rendered which is a proper basis of con
pensation. The cotton or sugar broke
Ia q useful member OF the commercit
community, but the inspector Of pre-
duoe is mere sponge, who renders n
equivalent for the living which b
derives from society. The quality an
value Of produce, as OF everything els
should be left to the determination {
ed by them, under the existing pre-
visions of laws In regard to warrant,
The only interest that society has
their contract Ia to enforce q faithf,
compliance with Its terms; and the onl
inspectorship needed for that purpose
one to insure the preservation of tru
standard Of weights, measures an
coins. Where an article Is the subje
of a monopoly, other considerations II
tervene to which 1t Is unnecessary no
to refer.
The value Of these inspections Is 81
Iiciently shown by the quality of tl
meat sold In our markets, which is
much the larger proportion that Of sic
and declining animals. Yet we hay
an inspector Of the slaughterhou
who, I am credibly informed, derive
an income Of $1,000 from his office ar
never sees the animals to whose cond
tion he certifies.
III the Legislature will inquire in
the practical operation OF the inspecto
ships now eAisting, IL wiz rather
these iniquitoLs sinecures than increa
or continue them. New Orleans l
quires, above all things, free trade.
d.
FEE COMMISSION ABROAD.
gnnremedltated Criticism from o