The San Francisco call., 1898-03-17

him as to what is the weight of an al legged pound or the length of an alleged yard he ought to have guardian ap- pointed or be sent to a lunatic asylum for care and treatment It is an oolouS law, and l do not believe it will ever stand.
 THOMAS M. CLUFF of CLUFF BROS. l must say that this is about as big piece of robbery as I ever heard of, and II the matter is pushed would be Wlllng to go in and fight 1t to the bitter enu. 90 far as an inspector of weights and meas ures is concerned, 1 think we ought to have one; but he should be a regularly salaried official. The very thought of ms reaping any such golden harvest as tnlS law would permit is simply preposterous. To show you how much he would make in my case, let a computation be made roughly. l have four stores. In each IS a pair of scales capable of weighing 4500 pounds. For sealing these the inspector would get $5 apiece, or S0. Then there are four in each store weighing under 2oO pounds. This would net him $l2 There are two gallon measures in each store. He would get S4 out of that, and about $6 of smaller measures. Altogether he would mulct me of the sum of $42. That would be rank robbery. He should be salaried or not exist at all.
 JOSEPH IRVINE OF IRVINE BROS This is about as rank scheme as ever originated with a Legislature or any other kind of body. The idea Of man being permitted to make so much money as this inspector would is appalling to those that would have to stand the drain. The fellow would never have to go to the KlOndike at all. He would have gold mine laid at his feet. Just see what 1t would cost our firm to use its scales and measures. We have six scales coming within the $2 50 limit, amounting to S15. Then there would be about thirty scales a D cents each; there is $22 50. Four gallon measures would bring down S2, and ten smaller ones $2 50; there goes s42 in lump. Such a thing would result in job bery and corruption by Boards of Super Yisors at a rate unheard of before, for even the Presidents salary would be molecule compared with what this man would make.
 ANDREW M. DAVIS of the Elm psrium-The operation of the fee system would work a hardship upon the mer- chants, with absolutely TO advantage to the consumer. 1 hope that the Board Of Supervisors will refrain from recommend ing any such appointment, and by this means render the law imperative.
 From what I have learned of the effect of the operation of the fee system con, nected with the Sealer of Weights and Measures it would seem calculated to work a hardship upon the merchant customer. Possibly some benefit might accrue from the appointment of a salar- jed official for the performance of the same duty if a trustworthy and conscien- tiouS person can be found to fill the of fee. It is to be hoped, however, that the Board of Supervisors will refrain from that way make the law imperative.
 RAPHAEL WE'LL. OF THE WHITE HOUSE-I am emphatically opposed to the law giving the Governor the right to appoint a sealer of weights and meas ures for San Francisco, for no evil ex- ists and there is nothing to correct or to be gained by such an appointment If the Board of Supervisors anticipate rec ommending any one for appointment to the office, every effort should be made to dissuade; them from giving the matter an consideration. be an unnecessary, yes, an infamous inn position on the business community. I have been in business in this city for the past forty years, and during that period have never heard of a single complaint against any house in this city. To at tempt to give short measure would mean the gaining of an unenviable business reputation which would soon lead to loss of customers, most of whom meas, ure their own own goods oh at home and woald t tempt at swindling. In short the people are able to, and do, protect themselves.
 am earnestly opposed to the fee sys- tenn. There is positively no merit in 1t that any business man can conscientious ly indorse. It has been discontinued in all the larger cities of the East and is obsolete. So much so that it may well be categoried with the dead languages.
 If there is any necessity for a sealer of weights and measures it can be more economically done by the payment of reasonable salary than by the fee sys- tenn. I am opposed to both as the office is unnecessary. It would only serve the pur- pose of giving some politician an oppor- tunity to cinch the people any way you may look at it.
 UNITED STATES DEPUTY MAR SHAL BALDWIN-It is beyond my comprehension how an intelligent body such an officer, and 1 can hardly place credence in a law that will grant to single person the right and power to carry on an inspection as he may see fit and charge according to his own discre- ton. It is an imposition on the rights of individuals and a disgrace upon govern ment. l don't see how it is possible, and it almost seems incredible that a State could ever adopt such a prerogative. If such an appointment were made in this city imagine the enormous sums of money that would be collected in fees and per quisites from nearly every branch of com- mercial industry. The income of an ln- spector or sealer would easily exceed that of the highest paid officials in the coun- try.
 As a result of the adoption of this law the retail merchants, in my opinion, ness and would be forced into bank ruptcy by these vultures who demand the lucrative extortion under the cloak of the law, and the prominent business men would likewise suffer under the exorbit- ant tax. l am in favor of the. appoint ment of a duly authorized inspector, whose business it would be to protect the interests of the public, but he would have to be appointed under differently con-. law before he could gain my con- sent or approbation for such an appoint ment l also believe that such an off, cer should be appointed but if he is to serve in the interests of the people he should be placed in office by the people and not by a body of men who are themselves servants of the municipality. That any Board of Supervisors should presume the right to thrust such an off, cer on the public is outrageous.
 JOHN ROSENFELD OF THE VAN COUVER COAL MINING AND LAND COMPANY-If such an appointment is made under an arbitrary law of this character 1 think beyond ques- tion that it is both wrong and unjust. 1 believe in a public inspector, but not this kind I am willing to have my scales in- spected at any time and whenever the Government sees fit to make such in- spection, but do not want to defray the expense for the institution of such an in- Qulry If the inspector is appointed in the interests of the public, as he un- doubtedly is he should be paid and his rewarded by the public and not by individuals who, though willing to have their weights and scales inspected as to their exact accuracy, do not, how ever, solicit 1t and should therefore be exempt from paying for it. That such law should be passed in my impression is a gross encroachment upon the independ- ent rights of individuals and an outrage that should not be tolerated by an intel ligent public. If man cannot carry on a without being taxed for even