78 ANNUAL. RT^PORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



REPORT OF THE DAIRY AND FOOD 

 COMMISSIONER. 



Harkisburg, Pa., December 31^ 1906. 



Hon. N. B. Critchfield, Secretary of Agriculture^ Rarrisburg^ Pa.: 



Dear Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you the annual report 

 of the Dairy and Food Division of the Department of Agriculture, 

 the same representing in a measure, a brief synopsis, in somewhat 

 epigrammaticaf form, some of the work and features incidental 

 to the operations of the fourth year of my official term under the 

 present administration. 



It is almost needless to explain that the active policy inaugurated 

 at the commencement of my term of office has not at any time been 

 permitted to lag nor relinquish, although the enforcement of our 

 tried and beneficial dairy and food legislation now on the statutes 

 met with even greater resistance and more complicated legal ob- 

 structions than at any previous period since their enactment. 



In view of the large number of prosecutions which were brought 

 throughout the various counties of the Commonwealth, this devel- 

 opment was not at all surprising. Generally speaking, the press 

 and the public supported and encouraged the campaign for pure food 

 and genuine dairy products, consequently there are no apologies to 

 offer at this time. 



That the present market conditions, without exceptions, show 

 that the adulterated, counterfeit, deleterious and illegal food and 

 dairy products are far less common than formerly, so far as Penn- 

 sylvania is concerned, is self evident, and that those who manufac- 

 ture such goods naturally oppose the laws cannot be controverted. 

 Time and practical experience developed the necessity for this rigid 

 enforcement of the law, but the main effort was to protect the con- 

 sumer against illegal products, while all concerned were accorded 

 fair and impartial consideration, whether retailer, jobber or man- 

 ufacturer. There were no set or fixed rules and regulations formu- 

 lated for the benefit of any class, and as the records of the past 

 year will prove, the several laws placed under the jurisdiction of 

 the Dairy and Food Division were enforced in their entirety, and 

 according to the interpretation originally intended by the Legisla- 

 ture. In other words, it did not appear proper nor wise to add to 

 nor detract from their intended meaning and power by adding a 

 code of rules of perhaps doubtful propriety. 



DIFFICULTIES IN ENFORCING FOOD LAWS. 



While possibly the bulk of the legitimate trade were willing and 

 rendered invaluable help and support, another class of producers 

 remained antagonistic. This is a natural sequence, and it would be 



