The sun., 1899-05-07
TIPS AS A SERIOUS EVIL.
EFFORTS IN ENGLAND TO ABOLISH
SECRET COMMIsSIoNs

All Branches of Trade and the Learne
Professions ms Well Scandaiized by Re
cent ReveIntions-New African Ezplora
tion-More Muttsrings Against Americ
Tho Turner Exhibition in London
LONDON. April 2S.-Evidence multinlies dali
OF the seriousness of the evil which IL is nov
sought to combat by legislation In the shap
OF bill penaiznR the giving or accepting o
secret commissions. Not only all branches o
<.ade, but the learned professions as WELL hav,
been scandalzed by the revelations Of the pas
few days. 1t is. however one OF those evils which
are based upon defective moral sense anc
are so universal that the difficulties OF coping
with them by legislation are almost nsuperable
Lord Russell OF Killowen introduced in the
House OF Lords yesterday his bill making 1t a
criminal offence TO give or receive secret COM
missions. As THE Suns letters have already
explained. the offence Ia classed as misde-
meanor with a maximum punishment OF two
years at hard labor. The most interesting
part Of Lord Russell's speech was that devoted
20 recalling the various shifts resorted to in
covering secret commissions which he had
met in his experience as commercial lawyer
and Judge.
One OF his clients. a man who had been In
business for twenty years. was charged Mt
spiracy with Lord Masham's foreman dyer
to defraud Lord Masham by invoicing goods
which were never delivered. by invoicing
inferior goods and charging the price OF
hiRher-class goods. and occasionally. when
they sent the best goods. by charging an ex-
cessive price for them. Lord Russell asked
his client how he could be a party to such
transactions. The explanation was that he
could not help it, that he was driven to IL. 1t
gradually the screw was turned on. and
HE trade profits would have disappeared alto
gether II he had not fallen in with this
arrangement. number OF witnesses drew
attention to the prevalence OF bribery in the
case OF buyers for large houses and cooperative
companies: also in the calico trade. the publish-
ing trade and the printing trade. Lord Russell
said he had a letter from the representative OF
q large firm OF dealers in ink. color and var
nishes. who said that the managers OF a GER
tain newspaper in the provinces allowed their
machine overseer to order inks. with the result
that his firm had to pay this man 5s. per drum
80 as to get the orders. When the price fell so
ss to make that commission too heavy the
overseer suggested that they should send
smaller drums. as the drums were not weighed
on delivery. Another machine overseer. who |
was leaving one place to 20 to another. de- |
manded f2 from his firm. otherwise he would |
not recommend their inks at his new place.
In another case foreman levied n commits |
sion Of one penny a pound. or about 25 per |
cent. on the ink supplied by the firm. From |
this man a communication was received to the |
effect that he would not be able TO use as much |
ink as formerly. because n gas engine had |
been put in In place Of a boiler. and there was
no furnace In which he could get rid OF the ink.
The writer Of this letter added that the accept
anoe OF ink or machinery depended. EXCEPT in
cases where men looked after their own bust
ness. not upon the excellence Of the things nor
their price. but upon the amount Of the bribes
that we're given. He had in his possession
original demands from overseers for Christ
mas boxes which were to be sent to them
privately. and In some OF these cases sums
to f25 had been paid. The report
also stated that the practice prevailed In the
brewing trade. brbes being given to buffers.
major domos. coachmen. gamekeeperJ, and |
even gardeners.
A case had come before the courts In which |
company had been formed for the sale. In part.
II some kind OF medicated wine in which
Il was shown that founders shares were dis
ributed among doctors upon the terms that
he doctors were to puff the wines.
Lord Russell quoted from the report OF the
Of the London Chamber OF Com
nerce appointed to inquire as to tho extent OF
ecret commissions. The committee found it
roved that engineers received fees or pay
nents from builders. 1t was also proved that
hemista paid doctors commissions OF 25 or
ven 80 per cent. on the prices charged for
medicines supplied by prescriptions to pa
iente: that doctors handed to the sorrowing
widow an undertakers card and received n
Of 10 to 20 per cent. on the funeral
harges. though he should be sorry to believe
fhaa nran tnnp tun aralo ,onIi |
al men.
Then the report went on to give illustrations
eating to the cutlery trade. in which It was
tated this mischfevous practice had done a |
reat deal OF harm. The system OF levyinR
went right through some houses
own to the boy who took in the manu-
,cturer's card to the huyer. and civiity and ,
ttention had to be paid for by the unfortunate I
raveler. One witness said he had lost scores
orders through refusing to bribe. I
1t cannot he said that the prospects OF Lord 9
ussels bills passing this session or next are ,
articularly bright. The Lord Chancellor
onted out that a previous bill collapsed be- g
luse 1t appeared that a gentleman who gave t
porter sixpence on railway platform rem g
ered himself liable to two years imprison-
ent. 1t was a secret commission. because It | 1
as bribe to the companys servant to do I
'mething for third party. Possibly an act r
ay bring the more fragrant cases inside the I
lminal law. and the whole system be dis v
'uraged by publicity. as it Is in the secrecy \
at the vice lies. q
Mrs. Victoria Woodruff Martin. as an Amer Il
an woman long resident in England. gives q
,r experience OF the effect OF secret commis- \
ons on domestic arrangements. She men, @
ons the case OF woman who had reason to C
dissatisfied with her chef and engaged a ie
untry girl for the post. For some weeks X
ter the girl was mistress Of the kitchen the O
count books kept reasonable level. Then a
ey gradually increased. until the employer @,
u herself compelled to point out the steady | tc
'eliing Of the figures. The girl burst into
ars and told her story OF how the butchers
y and the Rrocers boy and all the trades "
ems boys. one after another. made It plain | q
at something terrible would happen unless q
e provided their usual commission Her fel- a,
" servants worried and bullied her for their v,
rquisites and eventually she had to give
~ In every direction. OF course. in every n,
Sc the payments were eXtortions from the W
,ployers pocket. taken without her knoW- RI
ge and for no services to her NJ