The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-28

special laws directed against particular
abuses are more often than not fail
ure, and quite frequently work hardship
upon the innocent while permitting the
guilty, for whose benefit they were en-
acted. to avoid their restrictions and
laugh at their penalties
For example, take what is known as the
Grindeland law, under the provisions of
which all produce commission men are
compelled to take out licenses and give
ponds for their honesty in dealing with
consignors. 1t is not contended that the
majority Of the commission men are dis
honest or that there is a larger percent
age Of dishonest men following that occu-
patton than in other lines of trade. But
there were few who received consign-
ments for sale on commission and never
accounted for the proceeds of the sale to
the consignors, and such individuals
brought the business into disrepute; hence
the law for the restraint Of the commits
sion men was passed.
The operation of this law is being
watched by Mr.. F. N Stacy, Of Minneap
pills. as the state agent therefor, and his
Experience up to this time shows that the
honest commission men have complied
with It's requirements, as was to be ex-
Pected, for it was not against such per
sons that the law was aimed. But the few
dishonest persons have simply rechristen-
ed their business, added a few minor va
.Tiations, and continue to swindle the
Farmers as heretofore while they remain
safely outside the scope and operation of
the Grindeland law.
For instance, the aforesaid dishonest In
.diEiduals no longer style themselves com
mission men, but are now produce deal
.ers. They no longer pretend. to sell on
commission, but they state that they are
now prepared to pay cash, to buy out
right for themselves, such produce or
goods as may be shipped to them, and by
offering a few cents in advance of the
market price they succeed in inducing
some cOnflding farmers to ship ~ them
just as was done to the bogus commits
sion man before the law was passed. And
as in the case of consbl nments 70 disbon-
es- commission me,n, so it is now with
these pretended cash purchases made nv
the same dishonest individuals Tho cor
sishor hS'ver gets a penny Of money for
ms gods, and never is able to secure an
accounting. When an accumulation of such
transactions makes the neighborhood too
warm for the bogus dealer, he moves to
other pastures and again plies his nefari-
Gus trade
Ihere are many strictly reliable firms in
the Twin Cities that pay cash for prod
uce, just as there were and are strictly
reliable commission men, and it would
just be as wise and as effective for the
next legislature to pass a law regulating
cash purchasers of produce as it was for
the last legislature to attempt the preven-
ton of dishonesty among commission
men by the Grindeland law
Such legislation is simply restraint
upon trade; it imposes onerous burdens
and restrictions upon the honest, law
abiding dealer or merchant whose opera
lions do not require special supervision or
restraint, for they are fair and above
board, and as to reaching the rogue and
suppressing him such laws are useless
and ineffective.
Roguery crushed to earth by special
enactment will rise again in another place
as vigorous and dangerous as ever. For
the prevention of dishonesty there Is
nothing like the swift and intelligent ap-
plcation of the penal code, which is wide
enough and far reaching enough to cover
all forms of crime and misdemeanor.