Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-01-05
ssate Tobacco Inspections.

In view of the interest which is felt
on the subject of tobacco inspection.
we publish the following sensible let
ter written to the Port Tobacco Times
by DR.. P. w. Hawkins, Inspector Of
Warehouse No. 3, and commend it to
the careful perusal Of our readers:
BALTIMORE, Dec. Is, 1881.
Editor Of The Times:
In the Baltimore Sun of December
2, attention Is called to communica-
tion from Brothers Bouinger, of Bal
timure. TO His Excellency Governor
Hamilton-in which they say: 1--WE
executed last year for Messrs. Galline
Il Co., Of Lyons, a house Of the high
est responsibility in France. a con-
tract with the French Government for
eleven thousand FIVE hundred ILL.,
500 hogsheads of Maryland tobacco !:
that they have lately received sam
pies of ninety-four (94) hogsheads
which were rejected by the French
Reggie as entirely unfit for use, being
so far interior to the Baltimore sam
Piles that a good many bear hardly
any resemblance to them, and they
request Us to obtain a just compensa-
tion for the severe loss they have sus-
tanned by this incorrect and most
shameful inspection" Brothers Bon
niger further state that fair yalua-
tion of the difference between the Bal
timore samples and these of the French
Reggie has resulted in a claim against
the. inspectors of tobacco amounting
in the aggregate $1,S30,39. As this
whole matter was referred to Gov.
Hamilton in August last by Brothers
Boainger, and is now paraded before
the public eye on the cge Of the as
sembling of the Legislature with
manifest design Of casting discredit
upon the honesty and efficiency Of
State inspection Of tobacco, proper
appreciation Of what is due to our
selves requires that the charges pre-
ferred with such self complacency by
Brothers Boninger against the State
inspectors shall be promptly met and
effectnally disposed of. Dogmatic as
sertion 10 one thing-demonstration
is quite another. Admitting the state
ments of Brothers Boninger to be true
both as regards the number Of SAM
pies rejected as unfit for use and the
valuation of the difference between
the Baltimore samples and those Of
the French Reggie, we fail entirely to
appreciate the correctness Of their
conclusions as set forth either in the
matter of severe loss sustained or
of derelictipn of duty on the part of
the State inspectors Of tobacco. Nine
tysfour samples rejected from a con-
trast Of flS5O0 hogsheads Of Mary
land tobacco will hardly be deemed
a basis sufficient to warrant the con-
clpsion Of incorrect and most shame
ful inspection. On the contrary, the
unusually small number of reflections
In 50; large q contract as that of last
year may well be accepted as a mat
tertQf reorganization on the part of
the State Inspectors. amounting, ac-
cording to the exhibit OF Brothers
Boninger to the inconsiderable pro-
portion Of four-fifths Of one per cent
The actual loss however, on the nine
ty-four rsiecfed samples, estimating
each hogshead fifty dollars, (which
is considered a fair valuation.) i
shown according to the same exhibit
OF Brothers Boninger. to amount to
: the Insignificant ratio of one third of
one. per cent. on the entire contract.
Verify, in this ''mus yldSeslus" affair.
we ore admonished BY Brothers Bon
niger not to despisa the day of small
thiE y; and the goodly admonition the
more beautifully harmonizes with the
symmetry and the fitness OF things. By
reason OF the fact. that the continren-
cy'of possible los had ALREADY been
provided forv'in the market valuation
Of Maryland tobacco Involving re-
duotion in price Of fully sixteen per
cent. on every hegshead. To sub
stantiate the truth of this allegation
and 70 lay bare the utter hollo@ness
tfthe pretense set up b. Eo:ngerz for