The San Francisco call., 1897-10-20
ALL WANT The
blue THREAD
A Pointed Letter Relative
to Convict Made
Sacks.
Prison Directors Attention
Called to the Folly of
Deception.
British Customs Officers Will Retail
ate to the Injury of
Shippers.

As intimated in THE CALL of yesterday
the Caamber of Commerce made the mat
ter OF the action of the Board of State
Prison Directors in removing the LITTLE
blue stripe from the convict made grain
sacks the subject of special consideration
at its quarterly meeting in the afternoon.
1t was introduced by Captain Merry, who
said that in view of the action taken by
the Chamber he thought the removal oi
the blue selvage from the grain sacks, the
only mark that has heretofore distin-
guishel The convict t-made article from
tLos made by free men, at this particular
time was decidedly out of place. tie
asked that in order to prevent any fur
ther damage being done the following
letter that he had prepared be indorsed by
the board:
To the Honorable Board Of California State
IriSOR Directors, san Quenttn-GENT The
Chamber OF Commerce OF San Francis co re-
specttully but urgently repres ents TO your
honorable board the impropriety ana bad
policy OF emitting the distinctive selyage
mark in all grain sacks manufactured al the
Stale Prison. for the following reasons:
Flrst-It IS an act OF bad iaith, committing
our State to an infraction OF the revenue laws
OF friendly nation, for which no apology can
De made, ana placing the State OF California
IN the attitude OF conniyance with fraud,
punished by fine and Imprisonment when
committed by individuals.
SacOud-It is an unwise procedure, which
will cause serious detriment TO the producer
the purchaser and the exporter OF wheat to
the United Kingdom, as the British customs
authorities Will properly place upon the i'm
porter The onus OF proof that the wheat sacks
In cargo being entered are not OF State prison
manufacture. which obviously cannot be
proven under the conditions permitted by
your honorable board OF abolishlng the "bIue
sewage which has heretofore been used.
Tne conseou uent loss, delay and annoyance
would taII alike upon the producer and shi D.
per OF wheat in all grain sacks from California
without d distinction.
Third-The Chamber of Commerce has al
ready peuttOned the British authorities,
through her Britannia Majesty's Consul-Gen-
eraI a. san Francisco, 20 permit admission of
the SACKS conveying the 1897 crop, which were
III second and third hands when the law was
promulgated; and having received his court
ecu reply that he would use his influence to
erect this respectfully protest against pro-
cedure which Will justly cause refusal OF
our request, TO the detriment OF producers
and merchants.
These reasons appearing ous very con-
elusive we respectfully urge that such grain
bags as may be made at the State Prison may
continue 10 bear the usual mark, holding that
sucn action Is necessary for the good me of
our state and the protection OF our wheat-pro-
ducers and merchants. With assurances OF
our high esteem We subscribe ourselves your
OBJ dent servants,
The CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN Francisco.
,, HUGH CRAIG, President
WILLIAM L MERRY, Secretary aud Treasurer
The chairman called upon Captain
Meyer, formerly an exporter of grain,
for his opinion of the effect of the
removal Of the blue stripe upon the
relationship of the British customs au-
rhorities and the California shippers. The
captain SAID he believed the result would
be disastrous. II nothing worse the Gus
toms officers would confscate the sacks
and destroy them, after taking out the
grain.
The letter was Endorsed at once and the
secretary was directed to forward it to the
Prison Directors immed lately.