The sun., 1897-02-09
Another Bad Bill.

Is IL true. as some OF our contemporaries
aver, that the quantity OF harmful legisla-
tion proposed at Albany this winter exceeds
the record OF previous years, Some Of the
measures, like the Anti-Treating bill, are
obviously cranky and excite the derision of
the majority OF the members OF the Legis-
lature. Others have some backing, but
seem to have been insincerely offered for
purposes Of politics. Such are the attacks
upon corporations; there is no popular sup
port for them, and the leaders OF the minor
ity would be the last to advocate them IL
they were to be held responsible for their
enactment. There is a third class Of pro-
posed laws which are more dangerous than
either Of the others. An excellent type OF
this class Of bills is the one which has been
introduced in the Senate to amend the act
relating to auction sales
This bill, which somebody has induced
Senator FORD to father, should properly be
entitled A Bill to Legislate Out OF En,-
ployment All Auctioneers in the State and
to Smother the Auction Business Entirely"
Such. in fact, would be the effect of Sem
ator FoRD's bill II it should become a law,
whether Senator FORD intends 1t or not.
We do not remember any bill that has been
put forward In the Legislature which has
greater appearance OF plausibility or is ca
pable OF greater harm.
The bill purports to be an attempt to sup
press the evils OF mock auctions. 1t makes
certain seemingly proper amendments to
the existing laws, but when we see
that they relate entirely to sales of
personal property, suspicion Is excited.
The auction sales OF real estate are far
more important and concern much greater
property interests than those Of personally.
The evils OF mock auctions attach to the one
as to the other. Why, therefore, is Senator
FoRD's bill confined to sales OF personal
property The answer is, OF course, TINT
the restrictions, liabilities, and complica-
tions imposed by the bill upon auction sales
would, II applied to the great business of
real estate auctioneering, raise deter
mined opposition, and kill the measure.
The bill provides, for instance, that any
competitor at IN auction sale has right to
demand the name and address of success.
full bidder or bidders at the sale. II the
auctioneer refuses to give 1t, the sale IL
void, and II he gives an assumed name or
L
he enters a bidders name falsely, he is
guilty OF forgery in the third degree 1t is
apparent that this provision would at once
do away with the custom, common at all
auction sales of paintings, books, bric.a-
brac, and other similar articles, OF the con-
cealment of their identity by prospective or
successful bidders. At book sale, for in
stance, a book dealer purchasing a rare
volume does not like to have the public
know that he bought it or what he paid for
it, Private collectors, for obvious reasons,
do not care to bid in their own names. The
penalties and liabilities imposed by the bill
for violations OF this section would result
in endless litigation and would allow insin-
cere and "by" bidders to control the sales
A Stillm more oppressive section is that re-
lating to upset" prices, compelling all re-
served sales TO Eo advertised in detail as