The herald., 1893-08-31
SCANDAL AND MUDDLR.

We have already discussed the fact OF
the arrest OF Mrs. Anson, charged with
collusion with two of the commissioners
OF the worlds fair to blsckmail exhibitors
for procuring favorable awards. The
gravity Of this exposure 10 appreciated
by the managers, and they promise to
have the matter thoroughly investigated.
That such thing is possible has un-
doubtedly caused widespread distrust in
the value OF awards to be made by the
fair.
But the dissatisiaction does not stop
at this. The manner in which the
juries to pass upon exhibits have been
chosen is OF itself enough to discredit
the awards. Mr.. Boyd Thatcher, who is
chairman Of the committee on awards.
seems to be one OF those stubborn, self
sufficient mon who arbitrarily insist on
their views being the correct views and
their plans the correct plans. although
every ybody else thinks them the very
worst. He would make an admirable
twelfth man on q jury trial. He known
II all, and knows 1t differently from ev-
erybody else. His plan 10 to have only
one juror to pass on each award. This
has left the door wide open for the sue
cess OF just such blackmailing as Mrs.
Anson is charged with.
Some Of the leading wine-growers of
California have publicly announced their
withdrawal from the contest at the fair
because they believe that under the
Thatcher rule their exhibits cannot re-
ceive that thorough and impartial test
which they ought to have. All the
California wines are to be submitted to
the verdict OF Hon. Romualdo Pacheco,
who has just been elected az the juror
to pass upon those exhibits. Not only
this, but the tests are to be made from
bottles that are duly labeled with the
name of the grower and the brand OF the
wine. Both Mr.. Wetmore and Mr..
Doyle declare that just decision cannot
be arrived at in this way. Mr.. Pacheco
is undoubtedly man Of strict integrity /;
but alone he is not capable Of accurately
determining the best brands Of tho great
variety Of wipes on exhibition. When
ever he has doubt the labels would
naturally influence his verdict--or any
other mans.
The jury to examine and pass upon
our California wines should be composed
of q number of good judges. and it would
give better satisfaction and be more to
the interest of our wines if that jury was
composed Of judges from foreign wine
districts as we'll as our own.
Mr.. Thatcher has given evidence of q
narrow and stubborn mind, and has
made more than one faux pas that ough
to have caused the managers OF the fair
to retire him for man of more equable
temperament and broader apprehen-
sion OF the requirements Of his import
ant duties. He was so stupid as to ap-
point as the juror on the awards Of CAL
ifornia fruit man who publicly declared
that California fruit was inferior in quail
ity and of much lower standard than
fruit raised in Florida and other At
lantic states. It was with the utmost
difficulty that our state commissioners,
on learning that this man had thus de-
clared his views in the presence of some
of our exhibitors, could make Mr..
Thatcher understand that such man
was not fit to pass judgment upon our
fruit.
Now that the managers Of the fair
have an object Iesson in the abuses to
which the one-juror system may lead,
they should either compel Thatcher to
reform his plan of selection or make him
stand aside. Exhibitors from all over
the world have at vast expense brought
their products and manufactures to this
fair in order to have them justly passed
upon by honest and competent juries of
award, and il by prejudiced or unjust
decisions, or wrong decisions from any
cause, their exhibits are unfairly dealt
with. they will go away in bitterness and
wrath, and do The country great harm
by their criticisms OF the shameful
methods OF award for which this man
Thatcher is responsible. Indeed medals
or diplomas from the worlds fair will
lose all their prestige and value if public
opinion is once convinced that they have
been unjustly awarded.