80 



The Florists^ Review 



August 10, «il6. '^ 



LAW AND LEGISLATION. 



[Tlie following Is the report of Wm. F. Gude, 

 cUairman of the committee on law and legisla- 

 tion, presented at tbe San Franclseo eonventton; 

 -Angrast 17, 1915T] 



Perhaps the most important action 

 your committee was called upon to 

 take during the last year was in refer- 

 ence to the fall shipments of azaleas 

 and other Belgian plants, which are at 

 present under embargo by the British 

 authorities. These plants are exclu- 

 sively of Belgian origin and production, 

 and since the enemies of Great Britain 

 do not get any revenue or benefit from 

 their sale, it w^as felt that the embargo, 

 while not helping the British forces, 

 Ivould work considerable harm to the 

 Belgian shippers and the American im- 

 porting florists. 



■ This matter was taken up with our 

 State department upon the request of 

 McHutchison & Co., New York. The 

 United States trade advisers informed 

 us how to proceed in the matter of se- 

 curing permits for the importation of 

 Azaleas^ etc., from the British authori- 

 ties, ant} wie have good reasons for be- 

 lievitig that these shipments will arrive 

 this fall on schedule time. Definite in- 

 formation will be given in the trade 

 papers as soon as an official decision is 

 rendered by the British authorities. 



Express Bates. 



Your committee had but two other 

 propositions referred to it during the 

 last year. One of these propositions 

 was brought up l)y J. A. Peterson, of 

 Cincinnati, O., who complained of the 

 classification of express rates in refer- 

 ence to plants shipped in pots and 

 pl^n^s shipped out of pots, insisting 



that there should be a lower fating on 

 plants shipped in pots or tubs. 



- The "matter wa^' promptly taken up 

 with the Interstate Commerce Commis- 

 sion, and the commission, in turn, cor- 

 responded with the several transporta- 

 tion companies, requesting an expres- 

 sion of their views. After receiving all 

 the data that could be reasonably ob- 

 tained, including copies of the corre- 

 spondence Jaetween the Interstate Com- 

 merce Commission land the express com- 

 panies, your committee reached the con- 

 clusion that, as the express companies 

 seemed to be losing money on the pres- 

 ent rates, it "was an inopportune time 

 to attempt to bring about a reduction 

 of our rates. In other words, your 

 committee felt that it would be the 

 part of wisdom to "let well enough 

 alone, ' ' that an agitation of this mat- 

 ter at this time might result in our 

 rates being raised, rather than lowered, 

 under the authority given the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission by Congress, in 

 March last, to revise or change the ex- 

 press rates. 



Subsequently; your committee re- 

 ceived notice from the Interstate Com- 

 inerce Commission that a hearing would 

 be given on the question of express 

 rates, May 26,- 1915. Feeling that the 

 florists should be represented, your com- 

 mittee had A. Leftwich Sinclair, an at- 

 torney, of Washington, D. C, appear at 

 ^ this hearing, as counsellor our society. 



In his reports Mr. Sinclair explains 

 the purpose and scope of the hearings 

 attended by him and points out the 

 procedure which will have to be fol- 

 lowed if our society wishes to obtain a 



formal hearing on ^ question of the 

 rating of, plants. .Mir, Sinelair - sug-^ 

 gests that, before fMng the necessary 

 petition with the lijperstate Commerce 

 Commission, our society should arrange 

 for a conference with the representa- 

 tives of the varioufl^xpress companies 

 with a view to an a4kcable adjustment 

 of this matter. 



Boiler Bills. 



The other question referred to your 

 committee relates to legislation con- 

 cening boiler inspeolion. It appears 

 that, from time to '^time, numerous 

 bills are introduced in the state legis- 

 latures to require the inspection and 

 regulation of boilers. It has been sug- 

 gested that, within the next year or so, 

 there will probably be a large number 

 of bills of this character introduced in 

 the state legislatures, and that our so- 

 ciety should provide machinery by 

 which we can resist the passage of leg- 

 islation which would work a hardship 

 on our industry. 



As illustrating the vicious character 

 of some of these bills, your committee 

 is informed that, only a short time ago, 

 there was introducea in the legislature 

 of the state of Pennsylvania a bill re- 

 quiring every owner of a low pressure 

 heating boiler to pfi.yv$5 a year for the 

 inspection of that b#ler, if his boiler 

 should have over fou*feet of grate area 

 and carry over ten pounds of pressure. 

 Had that bill passed, every florist in 

 the state of Pennsylvania would have 

 been obliged to pay to that state the 

 sum of $5 a year, or more, depending 

 on the number of boilers in use. 



Your committee is also informed that 

 there are statutes in force in several of 

 the states which provide that every 

 steam boiler carrying over ten pounds 

 of steam pressure niust be in charge of 

 a licensed engineer,> and that a move- 

 ment is on foot looking to the enact- 

 ment of similar laws throughout the 

 country. 



All such propositions, in the opinion 

 of your committee, should be fought by 

 our society with all the force at its 

 command. ,,,-. 



It is, therefore^ jecommended that 

 the scope of your committee be en- 

 larged, without delay,^' so that the com- 

 mittee can keep in t(^h with proceed- 

 ings of the state legislatures, as well 

 as those of Congress,' and be prepared 

 to resist the passage ef all bills found 

 to be detrimental to *the members of 

 our society. « 



If the foregoing recommendation of 

 your committee is adopted, your com- 

 mittee should be authorized to arrange 

 for a reporting service of some kind, 

 and to employ counseVto represent the 

 society, whenever, it) jthe judgment of 

 your committee, the services of counsel 

 are required. 



Frederic J. Bertrand. 



(Chairman Hotels rommttt»e for the San Francisco Convention.' 



TBEASUBEB'S BEPOBT. 



The following is th4 report of Treas- 

 urer W. P. Kasting' for the seven 

 months ending July 30, 1915, as pre- 

 sented at the San iVancisco conven- 

 tion, August 17, 1915j. 



JANUARY 1 TO JXJLT 30. lOlS. 

 1915. 

 Jftti. 1. Balance In permaM £ 



fund ;rjfcl7.815.1» 



Recelpte to July 20 f. l,192.3t 



Balance In permanft» 



fund July 30 $19,007. ."K) 



Jan. 1. Balance In general 



fund $14,376.48 



Receipts to July 30.. 2.732,0« 



$17,108.48 



