18 Third Annual Report op the 



CHAPTER 70. 



.AN ACT to authorize the commissioner of agriculture to settle 

 and compromise certain claims in favor of the State for viola- 

 tions of sections twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight and 

 twenty-nine of the agricultural law, relating to the sale or use 

 of oleomargarine, so called. 



Became a law March 4, 1895, with the approval of the Governor. Passed, 



three-Htths beiug ^»reseiit. 



The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and 

 Assembly, do enact as follows: 



Section 1. The commissioner of agriculture, subject to the ap- 

 proval in writing of the governor and attorney-general, is hereby 

 authorized and empowered to settle, compromise and discharge 

 all actions and causes of actions, or claims arising under the agri- 

 cultural law since its passage to the passage of this act for any vio- 

 lation of sections twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight and 

 twenty-nine of the agricultural law relating to the sale or use of 

 oleomargarine, so called. 



§ 2. All moneys received pursuant to any such settlement shall 

 be paid by the commissioner into the treasury of the State; and any 

 settlement made pursuant to this act shall be reported by the said 

 commissioner in his next annual report. 



§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately. 



By the provisions of the law any settlements made under it were 

 by the Commissioner to be reported in his next annual report. 

 While the defendants have professed a willingness and desire to 

 settle these matters I have been unable in any individual case to get 

 from the defendants an offer that I believed to be in any way com- 

 mensurate with the liability that had been incurred. Soon after the 

 passage of the act I applied to the Attorney-General, pursuant to 

 the provisions of existing law, for the appointment of counsel to 

 prosecute these violations, and in pursuance of my request the firm 

 of Mullin, Griffin & Walker, of Watertown, N. Y., were designated 

 to commence action against Armour & Co. I am advised by these 

 gentlemen that they have had frequent consultations with, and 

 numerous communications from, the defendants and their counsel, 

 during the summer and fall, looking to a settlement of this matter, 

 but all negotiations proved fruitless and unavailing and have 

 finally culminated in an action which was commenced on the 



