No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 107 



NEW PURE FOOD LAW SHOULD BE AMENDED. 



The Legislature will be asked to make a number of important changes in 

 the Pure Food Act approved June 1st, 1907. These changes will not be urged 

 for the mere sake of making- changes, but they will be advocated for the rea- 

 son that the experience of tljose in chaig^e of the administration of the act 

 in question shows that certain crudities and weaknesses exist which materially 

 interfere \\ith its proper and successful enforcement. The act primarily is 

 intended for the protection of the consumer as well as for the benefit of the 

 people, generally. The Commissioner concedes that the honest retailer is en- 

 titled to fair consideration, and will cheerfully recommend that those sections 

 of the law which afford certain protection at the cost of the careless, indifferent 

 or unscrupulous manufacturer or jobber shall be retained on the statutes. 



STATEMENT SHOWING PROSECUTIONS IN 1907. 



The ofRcial records of the Dairy and Food Bureau show that during the year 

 1907, 664 prosecutions were brought to a successful and final termination in the 

 courts of the Cummornvtalth. These cases are reported in two divisions, name- 

 ly, that part of the year during which my predecessor was in office, and that 

 portion during which the present official was in charge. 



TERMINATED PROSECUTIONS. 



January 1st. to April 15th, 1907. 



Cases 



Renovated Butter Fines, Act 1891, ,3 



Oleomargarine Fines, Act 1901, ^ 164 



Milk Fines 34 



Vinegar Fines, 13 



Pure Food Fines 170 



Lard Fines 1 



Cheese Fines 



Meat Fines, 1 



Total 3S6 



April 15th to December 31st, 1907. 



Renovated Butter Fines, Act 1901, 3 



Oleomargarine Fines, Act 1901 115 



Milk Fines, 31 



Vinegar Fines 12 



Pure Food Fines, Act 1S95, 30 



Pure Food Fine, Act 1907, 85 



Lard Fines, 1 



Cheese Pines, 



Meat Fines 1 



Total, 278 



Total number of cases terminated , 664 



The financial statement appearing as a part of the annual report shows in de- 

 tail the amount of fines collected and paid into the State Treasury for the use 

 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 



With the increased percentage of pure goods that is being proven by chemi- 

 ical analyses, there very naturally follows a decrease in the number of pros- 

 ecutions for the sale of adulterated food products. This fact is the best pos- 

 sible evidence that can be produced in behalf of the argument that the work 

 of the Division has again been successful, and that the public are receiving 

 the protection to which they are fully entitled. 



PROVIDING FOR CLEAN MILK CANS. 



The act of Assembly approved May 25th, 1907, to require the thorough 

 cleansing of the inside of cans and other vessels used in the shipment of miJ'K 

 or cream on railroads, has not fulfilled the expectations of its framers. The 

 act is imperfect in several essential points, and should be amended during the 

 coming session of the Legislature so as to make it more easy of enforcement. 

 It is llie consensus of opinion among dairymen, that its enforcement very 

 properly should be placed under the administration of the Dairy and Food 

 Bureau, and that the act should declare violations a misdemeanor and pro- 

 vide that the fines imposed and collected shall be paid into the State Treasury 

 for the use of the Commonwealth, the same as all other fines imposed by the 

 various dairy and food laws of the State. 



