New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-01
POLITICS IN THE BILL.
THE CHANCE FOR TAMMANY METHODS IN
THE NEW COAI-wEIGHING MEASURE.
FIRsT.cLAss AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM DE-
sTRoYED- DISHONEST DEALERS IN THE
COMMODITY INTRENCuED IN


sTRoYED- DISHONEST DEALERS IN TIE
COMMODITY INTRENCuED IN
THEIR PRACTICES.
When the Retail Coal Dealers Exchange leSis-
lated its Weighing Committee out OF once Some
weeks ago. sold the weighing paraphernaiia' ana
allowed the dishonest dealers 10 continue IN th"Ir
short weight practices. the honest men In the tx
change made a violent protest. but the only result
OF their labors was the sop thrown them by the
ant-weghIng men In the shape Of the McCarren
bill. or one like It. now before the Legislature.
BY the provisions OF this BILL r sort OF Weighing
and inspecting will be possible but the inspectors
will be Tammany officials. and many think mat
TO weighing would be better than the system
which will result from the passage OF this bill.
Under the system which the Exchange started. and
which worked well and was the means OF detecting
several t-welght merchants In their nefarlous
practice there was chance for politics; II was in
every particular a fair system. but that was the
very reason why 1t was opposed and killed When
the question finally came up In the Exchange, Shall
we have a weighing system not?' a majority
ruled that the vote this vital question be taken
by ballot and by ballot II was decided to discontinue
the weighing and inspecting. Those who were IN
favor Of continuing the system voted openly. while
those who sided with the short-welght or no-nspec-
ton men lodged behind the closed ballot
Something had to be done. however; The Tribune
had shown how the Exchange played into the hands
OF the short weight men and how impossible IL was
for an honest dealer to compete with one who gave
800 pounds for a ton, and how consumers were I'M
posed upon. Then the original opponents OF the
weighing system proposed the bill which Is now
being considered before the Legislature and which
was accepted by the friends OF the original system
because" as they saId ANY system Is better than
none
A coal merchant who has given the matter much
thought SAYS: These people don't want a weighing
system that will restrict short weight. That's the
reason they Discontinued the first one and that Is
why they favor this. There are men in the bus-
ness who sell lots OF 100 and l,s0o TO peddiers
knowing that these same lots will be delivered az
tons. The very fact that during the short life OF
the Weighing Committee a number OF short-weght
cases were reported shows that the system was
good one. What the one Will be Is only
matter of conjecture but 1t appears. since IL was
measure, II will be found ineffectual 49,,
Another coal man said: why, that's the way me
short weight people gain time they get up "a I''
pass IT, put II in operation. find it defective ana
season passes before another can be lormuat ~
Something must be done to rid the trade OF the
odIum which the crooked practices OF sone nav ",
brought upon 1t. VINO would doubt the scales OF
our leading grocery houses? And yet the coal ueaIer
be he honest. Is looked upon with susPlci0h
power to remove the cause OF the suspicion nope
the law will have a fair trial. ,,..
Coal merchants do not all stand on an equ ,
high plane and while some willing and anxious
tina; the public should know what Is done IN me
matter OF prices and weights. there are many VINO
are In favor of star-chamber conferences anu io'
some reason look upon a newspaper or It's repre-
sentative a dangerous element ms Ies.ins
made Itself manifest at the meeting on frlday
fact that remarks detrimental TO the good faltn OF
one OF NewYork's acknowledge beneiactors We're
money when he processes to do charity were wildly
appla