Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-02-08

Hdt, Sdlu HIS yuuuS WHe, 1 WISH
lou wouldn't put your knife in your
mouth when you eat"
"An' phwere would yea hev me put
t." said Pat In astonishment-"in me
yes ?"-Harper's Bazaar.
TIPS A SERIOUS EVIL
EFFORTS IN ENGLAND TO ABoL.
lsH SECRET MISSIONS.
All Branches of Trade and the Learn.
ed Professions as Well Reported to
Have Been ScandaIized by ReveIa.
tions-An intoierabie lnfIiction.
Evidence multiplies daily of the
seriousness of the evil which it is now
sought to combat by legislation in the
shape Of a bill, penalizing the giving
or accepting of secret commissions.
Not only all branches Of trade, but the
learned professions as well, have been
scandalized by the revelations of the
past few days. 1t is, however one of
those evils which are based upon de-
fective moral sense and are so I'm.
iversal that the difficulties of coping
with them by legislation are almost
insuperable. Lord Russell of Killo.
wen, has introduced in the House Of
Lords his bill making it criminal OF.
Tense to give or receive secret com.
missions. The offense is classed as a
m1sdeameanor, with a maximum pun.
1shment of two years at hard labor.
The most interesting part OF Lord
Russell's speech was that devoted to
recalling the various shifts resorted
to In covering secret commissions
which he had met in his experience as
commercial lawyer and Judge.
A number of witnesses drew atten-
ton to the prevalence of bribery in
the case of buyers for large houses
and cooperative companies; also in
the calico trade, the publishing trade
and the printing trade. Lord Russell
said he had letter from the repre-
sentative of a large firm of dealers
in ink, color and varnishes, who said
that the managers of certain news
paper in the provinces allowed their
machine overseer to order inks, with
the result that his firm had to pay this
man IS per drum so as to get the
orders. When the price fell so as to
make that commission too heavy the
overseer suggested that they should
send smaller drums, as the drums
were not weighed on delivery. An.
other machine overseer, who was
leaving one place to go to another, de-
Iol h{c 0fh o,.u,icn
he would not recommend their inks at
his new place.
In another case q foreman levied a
commission of one penny pound, or
about Is per cent, on the ink supplied
by the firm. From this man COM
munication was received to the effect
that he would not be able to use as
much ink as formerly, because gas
engine had been put in in place OF
boiler, and there was no furnace in
which he could get rid Of the ink.
The writer of this letter added that
the acceptance of ink or machinery
depended, except in cases where men
looked after their own business, not
upon the excellence Of the things nor
their price, but upon the amount Of
the brides that were given He had
in his possession original demands
from overseers for Christmas boxes
which were to be sent to them private
~, and in some Of these cases sunni
amounting to ELS had been paid.
The report also stated that the praC-
ice prevailed in the brewing trade,
brides being given to buffers, major
domos, coachmen, game-keepers and
even gardeners.
A case had come before the courts
in which company had been form
ed for the sale, in part, Of some kind
of medicated wine in which 1t was
shown that founders shares were dis.
tributed among doctors upon the
terms that the doctors were to puff
the wines.
Lord Russell quoted from the last
report of the committee of the Lon.
don Chamber of Commerce appointed
to inquire as to the extent of secret
The committee found
1t proved that engineers received fees
or payments from builders. 1t was al.
so proved that chemists paid doctors
of rs or even SO per cent.
on the prices charged for medicine
by prescriptions to patients;
that doctors handed to the sorroWing
widow an undertaker's card and re.
ceived a percentage of 10 to 20 per
cent. on the funeral charges, though
he should be sorry to believe that
these practices were general among
medical men.
Then the report went on to give il
ustrations relating to the cutlery
.rade, in which it was stated this mis-
,hievous practice had done a great
ieal of harm. The system of levying
,lackmail went right through some
houses to the boy who took in the
card to the buyer, and
,ivility and attention had to be paid
or by the unfortunate traveller One
witness said he had lost scores of
orders through refusing to bride.
1t can not be said that the prospects
# Lord Russell's bills passing this
ession or next are particularly bright.
he Lord Chancellor pointed out that
previous bill collapsed because it
ppeared that gentleman who gave
porter a sixpence on a railway plat
orm rendered himself liable to two
ears Imprisonment. 1t was secret
because it was bride to
he company's servant to do some
hing for a third party. Possibly an
ct may bring the more fragrant cases
lside the criminal law, and the whole
ystem be discouraged by publicity, as
is in the secrecy that the vice lies
Mrs. Victoria Woodruff Martin, as
q American woman long resident in
ngland, gives her experience of the
feet of secret commissions on do
estic arrangements. She mentions
lie case of woman who had reason
} be dissatisfied with her chef, and
1gaged a country girl for the jost.
or some weeks after the girl was
istress Of the kitchen the account
ooks kept reasonable level Then