Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-15
FIGHT FOR HONEST JEWELRY.
Ali the States to be Asked to Pass
Stamping Laws.

Bogus as we'll as cheap jewelry may
still be sold even If the organized
manufacturers Of the Maiden lane dis
trict succeed in their present campaign
to get stamping laws passed In all the
states. The idea that only high grade
jewelry and silverware could be made
and sold under the proposed law has
been entertained by some people, but
this Is a mistake, says the members
of the jewelers. committee which Is
pushing the proposed law. They be-
lieve, however, that the law would
regulate matters so that only careless
or unthinking people would be deceiV-
ed in buying jewelry.
ANY kind Of ornament could Still
be made" said T. Edgar Wilson, Sec
retary of the committee, when asked
about the expected results Of the bill
What we are trying to do is to pro-
tect the public from deception and
conscientious manufacturers and deal
ers from unfair competition.
"The bill provides that If any mark
of quality is placed on articles made
of gold or silver the mark must tell
the truth. The cheaper alloys and
plating Of all kinds could be used the
same as at present, if there were nc
deceptive stamping"
It was further learned that jewelry
without marks Of any kind could be
sold without violating the proposed law
and it would be in buying this class
Of wares that people would be taking
chances.
The committee did not draft bill
requiring the stamping Of all jewelry
and silverware as is the rule In
European countries, for the jewelers.
were advised that such a measure
would be of doubtful constitutionality
But the members Of the committee
say that the law would bring about
the desired conditions. because the
public is being educated more and more
generally to look for stamps Of quality
on real gold and silverware and man
ufacturers would practically be COM
PEELED to stamp their product.
So there would be no interference in
the traffic which some people have
called the poor mans jewelry and
which glitters as brightly as any 9TH
er, but does not wear we'll. 1t could be
stamped for just what it was or peo-
pie paying 25 and so cents for ring
with an imitation diamond could waive
the formality Of a stamp and still get
the worth Of their money in brass and
glass.
The bill as 1t is drawn is similar in
its provisions to the national stamp
ing law wh'''l was passed at the last
session Of congress after being pre-
pared by the same committee Of jew
elers which is now at work seeking
state legislation. The Federal law
will become effective in June next, but
the members Of the committee say
that it will be disappointment unless
state laws are passed.
Manufacturers, whose total annual
output amounts to more than $130,000,-
900 are enlisted in the movement, it is
stated. Their products comprise, be-
sides jewelry, silverware, watches and
optical supplies. The committee has
already obtained the introduction of
bills Of a uniform character in half
a dozen legislatures and expects to
have similar measures brought before
thirty legislatures before the end Of
the year.
Presidents of seven organizations,
comprising all the organized bodies or
jewellers in New York and Newark,
are included in the committee. The
associations and their presidents are:
The jewelers. Security Alliance, A. K.
Sloan; jewelers. League, George w.
Street: jewelers. Board of Trade, Leo
Wormser; jewelers. Protective Union,
o. G. Fessenden; "a Karat Club, John
B. Wood; Manufacturing jewelers. As
sociation of Newark George r. Howe;
Manufacturing jewelers. Association
of New York, Charles R. Jung.
Other members are George E. Fahys,
H. A. Bliss, Francis r. Appleton, F.
H. Larter, John L. Shepard, Ludwig
Nissen, Leopold Stern, Henry Inter
meyer, T. Edgar Wilson. The commit
tee is to have the support in various
states of local organizations Of jewel
ers.
Although the committee declares that
frauds in the sale of jewelry are so
widespread as to call for legislation,
yet the members say that the evil In
the United States Is not nearly so great
as European competitors would have
it appear. The absence Of stamping
laws here has given dealers in Europe
who cater to American trade an op-
portunity to decry all the products of
the factories in this country.
Foreign jewelers." said a member
of the committee, "have falsely, but
persistently, tried to make people be-
lieve that American gold jewelry and
silverware is always of an inferior
quality and that the stamping laws of
France and the hall marks Of England
are an absolute guarantee Of the quail
ity of jewelry made in those countries.
Many wealthy Americans have been
led by this argument into buying jew
elry while they are travelling abroad.
They are more often deceived than If
they bought at home.
1T is notorious that the French and
English stamping laws are easily
evaded. The general standard of hon
eSty of the American jewelers. is real
ly the best guarantee Of quality. But
as long as we have no stamping laws
in our own states we will be painted
as being worse than we really are. 1t
is especially difficult for us to build
up a foreign trade without such laws"
New York special to News and Cou-
rier.
8S' LAS the new minister Of the viii
lage was on his way to evening service
he met a rising young man of the
place whom he was anxious to have