The Portland daily press., 1892-04-09
THE FLOUR INSPECTOR.
The Argus Fires Itself Off without sufi-
cient knowledge,

The Argus, yesterday morning, COM
mented upon the action of the Portland
Wholesale Grocers and Flour Dealers As
ISOLATION at their meeting held Wednes-
day, and published in Thursdays PRESS,
by which they elected Mr.. Bickford their
flour inspector, and ordered him to quail
fly in $1,000 The Argus charges the as
ISOLATION with usurping the duties of
the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to a
remarkable degree, says that it is the Gus
tom of each party to look after its own
men before appointing men belonging to
the opposition = although at the next
breath it admits that the movement for
Mr.. Bicllford's election was irrespective
of party-and tells Mr.. Bickford to be-
ware. It says:
Section of the Statutes seems to fit Mr.,
Bickfords case completely and the Portland
wholesalers may have the pleasure Of seeing
their duly appointed inspector boarding with
Sheriff Cram, for any marks. brands or stencils
that he makes will plainly be counterfeits of the
regular inspectors marks, and within section 5
of the law
II is to be presumed that the Portland
Wholesale Grocers and Flour Dealers
Association have not taken any steps in
regard to an Inspector without the best
legal advice and this is as we understand
it, the advice:
The Office of -four inspector is defined
by the revised statutes. 1t is an Office
created by special statute and the inspec-
to,. ic not :, ,,,,,p;o;oaI ofHooY bu+ iS an
pointed by the municipal officers of
town, or city, that is the Mayor and
Board Of Aldermen. disappointment is
for year and at the expiration of his
year his official life terminates. He does
not hold over like city clerk, or other inn
portant city officer until his successor is
elected and qualified. Consequently the
Office was vacant when Mr. Bickford
went out at the end of his term. No
man has been appointed and legally
qualified for the Office yet, and
if one had the flour dealers
are not bound to have their flour inspect
ed. If they want anything done to it,
either examination or inspection, they
have right to employ any man they
deem competent to do either. There is
no penalty attaches to any person who
may examine or inspect the -four except
to a man who has been legally appointed
and properly qualified and who is then
guilty of improper conduct in the dis
charge of his duties. The entire law
in regard to the inspection of flour
is permissive not mandatory. The NUM-
cipal officers may appoint or may not as
they please. Nothing. in the law pro-
hibits any contract for the manufacture
or sale of uninspected flour, when in
spection is not required by buyer or
seller.
The matter then boils down to just
what we stated the other day. Mr.. Bick-
ford is the inspector of the association,
and will do their work. The brand he
will use will not be counterfeit of any
city brand-in fact the brand used by the
city is merely an old one formerly used
by the Board of Trade-but the associa-
ton brand. If any buyer wants the
flour he proposes buying inspected by
the city inspector, that officer can prob
ably accommodate him provided the
seller doesn't object, but it is reasonable
to suppose that as much of the work is on
car loads in transit, or warehouse, that
the association inspector will do the
work.