Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-16
WEIGHTS AND MEAsEREs-AK III,
PORTANT BILL.

anu uSdSurSS dtlu iifOsiue iOI oldlt anu
county sealing" of weights and measures
of all classes. The RECORD UNION urged
the last Legislature and the Legislature
preceding that, to give attention to this sub
ject, but no decisive action was taken at
either session, though bills were intro
dueed concerning the matter. We have
statutes upon the subject already, but they
are imperative and long have been.
No one pays any sort Of attention to them,
and the only regulations we have are the
scales, steelyards, 'yardsticks and measures
of the consumers. So far as any usefulness
is concerned, the costly complement of
weights and measures in the Office of the
Secretary of State and furnished to Cali
fornia by the general Government, and the
few in the offices of some County Clerks,
are of no value, because no scales or meas
ures used in business are tested by them
In short, consumers are doing business in
California with supply agents upon faith
in the honesty of their merchants and
suppliers.
There encevwas sesler of weights and
measures there is tradition that under
the law TIE Secretary of State is such an
officer for the State, and that the County
Clerks for their counties are "sealers." No
reflection can be made upon the State
officials for not doing what the law con-
templates, for the statute gives them no
power to enforce it. 1t is required that
the Secretary Of State shall, at least once
in ten years, require the County Clerks
to "prove" their Standards by
the State complement of standards.
Neither the memory of man nor yet the
records of the State bear any testimony
upon the question, "When was this test
ing last done2" The present Secretary of
State declares the law a dead letter,
simply because there is provided no means
for its enforcement. Secretary of State
Melone, when'in Office, made special re-
port upon the subject TO the Legislature,
but no attention was paid to it. All
the Secretaries testify that County Clerks,
with few exceptions treat their notices as
TO correction of weights and measures with
contempt. 1t is fact that but few Of
them have ever procured the compliment
of standards every County Clerk is entitled
TO.
The law now upon the statute books re-
quires County Clerks to "prove" weights
and measures by the official standards
only when applied to for that purpose and
gives then a fee according to a schedule
laid down by Section 567. of the Political
Code. Sections 5000 to 1923 of the same
Code fix the standard, and these sections
are sufficiently ample and clear.
But the law has fallen into the category
OF dead letter statutes, for the reasons
stated and because there is nothing in the
law to enforce examination of weights and
measures in use in business. What is
needed is a law that will direct proper
official at least once a year to inspect all
scales and measures used by people with
something to sell. Nearly all the States
nave such law and find that it works well.
As matters now stand in this State there
is nothing to prevent shortage in weight
and measure upon goods sold except the
domestic scales and measures, and to these
the seller seldom submits, very truly
claiming tkat they are just as likely to be
IN error as his instruments of like char
acter, and even more so, because he has
scales of heavier make, and measures that
are sndel the test of constant use.
Mr.. Salomon's bill creates Chief
Deputy to the Secretary of State, whose
duty it is to be to sealall balances, weights
and measures used as standards by County
Clerks Each Clerk is likewise required to
appoint deputy who is to examine all
weights and measures used in the county
at least once in each year, and to seal
those he finds up TO the standard, aud
those not so stamped il is to be unlawful to
use, under penalty of heavy fines. The
sealers are to report all violations OF the
law, and the District Attorneys are to
prosecute all sGch cases to Judgment. The
County Sealer is given authority at any
time of day to enter business place to
inspect any weights and measures used.
The State Sealer is required to prod the
County Sealers rp to actual duty-doing.
The State Deputy is to receive $3.50
month for his services, and the County
Sealer to receive fees according to
schedule set forth Sn the bill From these
fees collected, the expenses of the deputy
are to be paid By the County Clerk, and
the salary allowed to deputy clerks by
law, and half of the remainder is to be
turned into the State Treasury and half
into the County Treasury. The Governor,
Secretary of State. and scales-maker, to
be selected by the Governor, are to con-
stitute a Board TO establish the County
Sealers' offices and TO adjust the standards
belonging to the State evidently, for Sec
ton 10 lacks clearness, is liable to mis-
and needs amendment) and
belonging to the counties, and to see.to
it that the Office of Chief sealer is fitted
out with all necessary appliances.
There remains to be considered the prop
osition to pay the State sealer, the deputy
of the Secretary of State. sl50 month
after he has once tested the instruments of
the county sealers and found them to be
correct Subsequently little labor will be
of him to inspect. Nor is there
any penalty affixed, as there SHOULD be, for
failure on the part of County Sealers to
thoroughly do their duty and closely in
spect all measures and weights Ia use IN |
their districts.
The bill sheuls pass after such other |
as are needed, its gen.
eral vitality and scheme not being cut |
down or crippled By technical amendments,
No man wants more than he pays for, no |
man wants less than he pays for. II one |