Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-23
"ALL is NOT GOLD"
Even When It Bears Marks of the
United States.

rev. &C. NO curious
oversights in the statutes looking to the
prevention OF the misuse of the name
md prestige o. the United States ara
i'll 4 fair way of being rcmeded. The
House has just passed, and there is
now pending in the Senate Il bill to pre-
won't the use OF devices calculated to
give the impression that the United
states Government ,ertifeS to the
quality of gold or Sil"er used in the
arts. The Senate has also passed ana
sent to the House a measure making it
felony to make impressions of or to
| counterfeit the great seal OF the United
states. This bill was one of the last
ever reported from the Senate judiciary
Committee by Senate: Hoar. The
oversight in the law vas called to his
attention by tho State Department. AMI
he took prompt steps 10 remedy it.
1t seems curious that while prac-
tic4lly all Of tn" States and important
cities in the country have taken meas
ureS to prevent the misuse of their
seals. the great seal of the nation
should have been so long unprotected
When the present measure becomes a
law any person who without authority
makes any impression Of the great seal
or uses such impression for the purpose
- authenticating any doc ument may
he fined $4,000 o. imprisoned for five
years. A penalty OF $1,000 fine. or i'm
TriSonment not exceeding ten years. is
provided for any person who without
lawful authority counterfcits or has in
his possession any likeness Of the great
l.; \,
out any discussion and will probably so
through the House as easily.
Tho United states is almost the only
great nation that does not certify to the
quality of gold, or silver used in the
arts. The 'hkIl-marll'' OH precious
metals in England was established in
the thirteenth century. and Germany.
France. Spain aud even Japan certify
to the finenesS of precious metals used
in manufactures. Evidence was pre-
scented to the House Committee which
favorGbly reported the recent bill.
showing cOncluSively that inscriptions
are placed on articles made from the
precious metals or purpoI ting to be
made from them. that give to purchaser
the impression that the United States
has certified to their finenes< and value.
The stamp az. s. Assay, II X has been
placed on the inside cases of thousands
Of watches. the value of which is much
less than that indicated by the stamp.
Particularly in tie foreign trade and
among citizens Of foreign birth is this
inscription used to defrauG. 1t is not
commonly known on :he continent that
the United states does rot supervise
manufactures of gold and silver. and
European merchants who see the STAMP
accept it at its face value. When thev
discover the deception they assume
that our Government has been a party
to the cheat. This inevitably leads
them to disparage ell American ex-
ports.
It was represented to the House. while
the bill was under discussion that fully
one-half the American watch case manu-
faCturers were using this u. 8. Assay"
stamp on their shoddy products. Rcputa-
bic manufacturers. for their own prOtcc-
latio,I. 1t seems only fair that reputable
goldsmiths and silversmiths should be
protected in connecting with inferior arti-
stamp OF the United States.
The House committee while considering
the bill was shown exhibits of the more
glarins and INSCRIPTIONS frauds. Cases
stuffed with lead and thinly washed
with gold were exhibited bearing the as
say stamp: other cases made of pure
brass were marked fourteen karat and
bore what puTported to be the Govern
ment's warrant of purity. In securing
these exhibits representative of one OF
the watch case companies called at a
Washington jewelry house to purchase a
large sized solid gold case, saving that ii
was for an elderly man and that the buy
er was anxious TO get just as heavy a
case as possible for his money. The jew
loaded with lead. which would passs for
solid gold weight and appear to be very
heavy He explained that these cases
were made for the ms alment house trade
export to Mexico and South America. but
bore the ''T. S. Assay mark. and We're
made to sell for 81 per pennyweight.
In 1856 "A manufacturer of cases invented
it with a character Is. without the karat
mark. In opposition to this invented
gold, which was represented as being up
TO the proper com I,,,.,a, standard, an
what he termed ''buzzard gold" fully ex- |
planning its cheapness and lack of fine
ness. and driving from n the market the
sale The first standard in the use |
of gold among American manufacturers |
was eighteen and fourteen karat. The |
first deviation from inns was when. for |
larger profit. the actual iineness was re-
ducad to twelve and ten karat but with
out any false marking to Indicate a high
or grade. This eventually fell TO eight
karats and marked ' wbi rfhs,hmn MINI Of thai
the PRESENT low standard and necessitatcd
this Legislation.
Fraud in the working Of the precious
metals in the arts it is declared has been
nreyaient in the production of ali classes
Of goods until no line has escaped. no mat
Ter how small the article. or how insignia
cant the opportunity for &c dishonest sa profit
to the old standard is analogous i'm wav
to the H Sentiment that has brought about
he demand for d the P food Of Of false
who have made a study in foreign coun-
tries of our export trade declare that a
Willingness of some manufacturers to play
sharp tricks is doing US no end of harm
there ..,,
h IL