WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 367 



bread, potatoes in sacks, berries in boxes, coal in sacks, milk in bottles, 

 and vinegar, ice, and wood are provided for. In regulating the scale of 

 the above-mentioned articles in packages, standard sizes are specified 

 which do not have to be marked with the net contents, but when any 

 other size than the standard is packed, the net contents in terms of 

 weight or measure must be stated on the outside of the package in plain 

 English words and figures. 



Wisconsin enacted an excellent general law on the subject, providing 

 for a state supervision of weights and measures under the direction of 

 the state dairy and food commissioner, who is made ex-officio state 

 superintendent of weights and measures, and for a local inspection in 

 charge of city sealers in all cities of five thousand inhabitants or more. 

 This law contains nearly all the provisions endorsed by the National 

 Conference on Weights and Measures. 



Several amendments were made to this law in 1913. Among the most 

 important of these is one conferring greater authority upon the state 

 superintendent of weights and measures concerning the appointment 

 and compensation of employees, and another requiring food in package 

 form to be marked with a statement of the net weight, measure or 

 numerical count. 



Wyoming has not enacted any general legislation on the subject, but 

 a law relating to food was passed in 1911 requiring that "if in package 

 form, the net quantity of contents be plainly and conspicuously marked, 

 on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure or numerical 

 count." The law in reference to the measurement of hay in stacks was 

 amended, as was also the law in relation to the weighing of coal in mines. 

 In 1913 a law was passed relating to the inspection and analysis of illu- 

 minating oils (including gasoline for the purposes of the act) which 

 provides that the absence of the net weight properly labeled on the pack- 

 ages shall be prima facie evidence that they are misbranded. 



Altogether forty-one states passed legislation of some sort directly 

 referring to the subject of weights and measures. The statutes in 

 twenty-four of these were general in their nature and authorized or re- 

 quired state-wide local inspection service under the general supervision 

 of a state department of weights and measures; state-wide inspection 

 service under officers of the state without any local inspection service; 

 or local inspection without any supervision by the state. Twenty-eight 

 states passed legislation requiring the weight or measure to be branded 

 on the outside of some original package goods when sold in the original 

 package or required the package or container to be of certain sizes. Of 

 these sixteen referred to some few specified commodities, while twelve 

 were general in their terms. This record shows the remarkable interest 

 that has developed in the last few years and clearly points out the neces- 

 sity for federal legislation to take care of interstate transactions. 



The above list does not show all the activity by any means. A 



