The Washington herald., 1910-06-05
MEANING OF "STERLTNG"
The Average Man Asks Question Without Knowing the
Reason Why.

The intelligent consumer buying silver
article, in nine cases out OF ten, viii in
quire if IL is sterling and then look FOL
the mark. If requested TO state why h
or she does this. the response would prob,
ably be: ''Why-I don't know, except thai
] want to be sure 1 am getting sterling
that's ALL"
1t is about the only answer that most
OF them could give. says the New YorH
Times
Few consumers actually appreciate JUS
what the mark Sterling" means; that II
represents .925 in fiueness, and in reality
their desire for an article marked in this
manner is purely the outcome OF knowl
edge they have unknowingly absorbed
from existing conditions, and by which
they have come to regard that particular
mark as synonym of purity and worth
IN silver
In former years there were no laws
either national or State. requiring tbs
honest stamping OF silver goods Some
manufacturers went so far as to place this
word Sterling" on some of their prod.
uct that ran as low as GOO fine. The re-
suit was a state of almost constant Ifti.
CATION until In 1894 the matter of stamp.
ing was taken up in a serious manner
and during that year and the six follow.
ing a number of States passed laws ii
connection with the sterling mark. max
ing 1t misdemeanor to place it on goods
assayIng less than .925. Others followed
with the result that at present most Of
the larger States have a similar law. the
effect of which has been TO drive out
the unstamped goods through educating
the consumer to know sterling goods, &c
ask for them, and to see that he re-
ceives them.
But how about the marking of gold
goods and the educating Of the public fC
this respect? Unquestionably the con-
consumer has not yet received the same
course OF training and has yet to arrive
at that point where he or she demands
that gold goods be stamped as to their
exact quality as they have been educated
to expect it I'm silver.
Some years ago, through a movement
instigated by the late Mr. Deuber. of the
Deuber Watch Case Company. of Ohio
and after much agitation, the national
stamping act was passed by Congress in
February, 1894 This act provides that
the jewelry and silveTware manufactured
by individuals, firms, or corporations en-
gagged in commerce between the several
States Territories. United States pos
sessions. and foreign countries. in bear
ing a quality mark. must assay as one
piece. including gold alloys. solder. &c
within one carat of the fineness indicated
by the stamp thereupon. and any makers
stamping their goods falsely are guilty
OF a misdemeanor, liable to fine or Inn
prisonment. of both
This law, most excellent In so far as II
goes, does not make stamping compulsory
as do the stamping laws of France,
Germany, and England, but provides only
that If goods are stamped at all IL shall
be done honestly; and it power. too, ex-
tends only so far as the Interstate Com
merce Commission is concerned and gov
erned by the nation according to the
Constitution. Several States since the
passing of the national stamping act have
made laws in conformity with 1t. calling
practically for the same provisions and
offering the same punishment II broken.
These States having such = law, aug