The log cabin Democrat., 1910-03-04
VIOLATION OF TAG
 LAW IS CHARGED COMMISSIONER BLAMED
COMPANIES STATE TAGS COULD NOT BE SECURED FORM AGRICULTURAL DE-
 APARTMENT.

Charges which will probably result in the prosecution of a large number of fertilizer manufacturers and re- quire explanations by one of the state officials, have been brought by Secre- tary M. F. Dickinson of the State Farmers Union, to the effect that many tons of fertilizer have been sold in Arkansas during the present year without bearing the inspectors tag, as required by law passed by the legislature of 1907. The fact that such an investigation was being made l first became known here today when Prosecuting Attorney George w. Clark informed the Log Cabin Demo- crat that Secretary Dickinson had written him letter stating that the law was being violated. Mr. Clark stated that nasty investigation by him had proved Secretary Dickinson's ing now to bring a large number of prosecutions for violations of the law in the Seventeenth district" said Mr. Clark, "and from the many evidences of violation of the fertilizer inspection act, 1 would suppose that this law has been similarly violated in other parts of the state."
 Secretary Dickinson was also seen in reference to the matter and does not hesitate to charge that the fertil- izer act has been practically ignored during the present season. Com plaints from all parts of the state that fertilizer was being sold without tags" says MT. Dickinson, ''have been coming to me, and on February 26 wrote to Attorney General Norwood, Prosecuting Attorney Clark and sev- eral other prosecuting attorneys in re- gard to the matter l also wrote to several of the fertilizer manufactur- CTS, and from some of these I have received replies stating that the req son the fertilizers were untagged was that the company was unable to secure them from the office of the commits sioner of mines, manufacturers and agriculture, although they claim they made numerous efforts to get them.
 "The law requiring that fertilizers be inspected and tagged" continued MT. Dickinson, twas passed on the recommendation of the Farmers Un- ion for the protection of farmers against worthless stuff sold as fertil- izer, and we believe it ought to be enforced As to who is at fault in the matter, l am making no charges. As an officer of the state union, have simply asked that the violations of the law be investigated
 Secretary Dickinson's letter to Pros ecutng Attorney Clark, copies of which were also addressed to several other prosecuting attorneys and to the attorney general, is as follows:
 "Office of the Arkansas State Farm
 CTS Union-M. F. Dickinson, Sec
 retary- Treasurer.
 Conway, Ark, Feb. 26, 1910. "Mr George w. Clark, Conway, Ark:
 DEAR SRI am reliably informed that there has been shipped into Con- way and other parts of your district this year several carloads of commer- cial fertilizer which failed to have a tag upon it signed by the commission CT of mines, manufactures and agri culture.
 By reference to Act No 398, page 995 of Acts of Arkansas, 1907, you will find that all manufacturers or manipulators, or agents receiving them, who have registered their brands in compliance with section l of this act, shall forward his request for tax tags, and upon receipt of them shall attach one to each sack or bar rel shipped out, thus guaranteeing the analysis of the fertilizer You will also see from section Is of this act that any person violating this act shall be deemed guilty of misde- meanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not less than $100 or more than $500.'
 "This law, as you know, was enact