The San Francisco call., 1898-03-19
MERCHANTS
 CONDEMN 4
 SCALE LAW Universal Opinion Is Against the 1891 Enactment. Consider It a Scheme to Blackmail Business
 Men. Not in Favor Of Granting Arbi- trary Power to Indi-
 viduals. THE PROBABLE EFFECT. The Law Designed to Create Sine cure for Some POltu-
 clans.
Not in Favor Of Granting Arbi- trary Power to Indi-
 viduals.
THE PROBABLE EFFECT
The Law Designed to Create Sine cure for Some POltti-
 clans.

The more thoroughly conversant the merchants of the city become with the extortion act known as the seal law of '91 the more universal they become in opinions of condemnation of 1t. In not one instance is the oppressive edtct ap- proved or the least sanction or encourage ment expressed for it's adoption in this city.
 The merchants are one in the belief that it is an extortion of the worst kind, and declare, as far as influence and con- bined action is concerned, it will not be permitted to introduced into this municipality.
 The law is characterized generally as blackmailing scheme formulated by un- scrupulous legislators and approved by the State for the creation of a political sinecure the duties of which, as the word implies, will consist chiefly of the collec- ton of exorbitant fees and the perform ance of little or no work. It was ntro- duced in the Legislature at the instiga- tion of politicians in the interests of political bossism, and not for the veal of citizens of the State.
 The merchants declare that they have oppression enough without having more heaped upon them. being taxed in every department of their business either by the State or the municipal government.
 The argument at is now being ad vanced is that if an inspector is appoint ed and invested with the arDltrary power which the law of '91 will undoubtedly al low him, their only resource for protec- tion will be 10 apply for papers for ln- solvency.
 burden and an insult to people possessing ordinary common sense and a Knowledge of their rights as citizens.
 The amount of fees and perquiSiteS that WOll6 be collected DV the SedIer It Is contended would easily exceed the salary of the highest paid officials in the country.
 The following are a few more individual opinions to add to the list published in The Call during the last few days:
 & CO, INCL certainly see no necessity for the appointment of any person with the power as conferred by the act of 1891. We are perfectly willing that our scales should be examined at any time, but the idea of giving any person the power to arbitrarily levy an assessment at his dis cretlon is unjust, to say the least There was no reason for the passage of the act and it's enforcement should be vigorously contested.
 THE BOARD OF TRADE-The Board of Trade as a body has not taken the mat ter up because they have always con sidered it a dead letter law. The law has many disadvantages, and in my opinion can never be carried out.
 JAMES H. HAROLD, of WHEATON,
 
 sity for such an officer. We have our scales cleaned and tested every morning to prevent their going wrong. and when ever they got out or order we send 10 the proper persons and have them set right. All merchants know that if they cheat customer in sending goods out they are just as liable t0 cheat themselves when the goods are coming in. In my opinion there is no need of sealer The position was created by politicians to make room for somebody. If a man should come to my place and aSK fO anime my scales, and after finding them in order, should demand 50 cents or a dollar, think 1 would so far forget my self as to refuse the request ln very strong terms. Such a tax would be an imposition on the merchants. and I am sure they would be opposed to wing It. I believe in honest weights and honest measures, but 1 do not believe in offices being created for the purpose of giving man could go from door to door, and by very little labor earn enough in one day to last him week. I cannot believe that such an appointment will be made but if 1t should be, 1t will be greatly deplored
 E. p. PAGE Or THE HOWE SCALE CH4dPANY-lt was mainly through my appointed for each city was passed. I went to Sacramento and worked hard for its passage, as l thought 1t would be of great value to our merchants Although l believe in the creation of such an Of fee. yet do not think the official should pocket the fees. He should be an expert
 
 a good salary. All fees for the work he did could be turned over to the city or State. The fee should be a small one. so that it would not be a burden to the mer- chants. All that would be necessary would be for the officer to visit a store twice year, and am sure such a small sum as dollar or two would not be fe,l The merchants would be benefited by the experts examination, as they are con stanItly aI @ dosing 1 money nf & on account o1 their merchant who was giving twenty ounces for pound and was not aware of it un- til informed by one of our experts Every large city has such an officer and I hope that san Francisco will possess one in the near future.
 & COL do not believe in this indiscrim- mate collection of fees nor do I think there is any need of such an official city reliable man with an expert knowl- edge of scales and measures should be chosen and paid a reasonable salary. MERSMITH & F1ELD-That law was passed to give some politician a chance to earn livelihoood. There is no need of such an officer. He would be an unneces- sary expense to the merchants and of no earthly good. We are paying too many fees as it is, and the saddling on of more will be strongly fought by the merchants Our scales for weighing gold and silver must necessarily be kept in the finest condition, and must not veer a hairs breadth one way or another. Whenever they get out of order and that is seldom we send for an expert and have them cor rected. Should a sealer come to our store for the purpose of testing our scales I would refuse him that privilege unless he assured me that he was an expert.
 N. BRIGHA-a, OF THE FIRM OF BRIGHAM & HOPPE, WHOLESAlE COMMISSION MERCHANTS-A law that Is made by the State and Glrectly op- posed to the best interests of the State. as this law is, should not be tolerated and should be at once stricken from the enactments. It is a fraud and an op- pression of the worst possible kind. and it Is a wonder to me how any intelligent enforcement The powers invested in the office of the sealer are arbitrary and for this reason alone should not be allowed to enter the statute-book. for we are ljv ing in a supposedly free community, and. as citizens, we demand just laws that will be for the benefit of the municipality and not for inL4viduals who gain their prestige from political influence, and are sta ined hY it in their nnnressire exac-