430 TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 



ply the strict enforcement of the law is of necessity and that eternal 

 vigilance will always be the price we must pay. 



WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 



A decade has passed since Iowa took up in earnest the subject of 

 properly regulating weights, measures and trade practices in gen- 

 eral involving these mediums of purchase and sale. True, there 

 was some effort made previous to that time to take care of trade 

 conditions, but not until 1913, when the legislature enacted a law that 

 was to make possible much needed reform in the various branches 

 of trade dealing in essential commodities through the enactment of 

 the weight and measure law. The dairy and food commissioner 

 was charged with the enforcement of this act, the duties of which 

 were to regulate and supervise all matters wherein questions of 

 quantity were involved, also the inspection of scales, weights and 

 measures. 



That this remedial action came none too soon is well known, and 

 the beneficial value of such a department as a protective agency has 

 manifestly grown with the general trend of business and constant 

 changes in economic conditions. 



Since the enactment of the weight and measure law in 1913 steady 

 advancement has been made year by year in every branch of the 

 work. Special investigation due to various causes are, of course, 

 always in order. No year passes without many of them claiming 

 our attention, and the past year was no exception. Conditions in the 

 various branches of trade must be continually looked into in order 

 to make sure that the persons engaged in them are living up to the 

 law's requirements. If at any time a particular business is not cen- 

 tered upon, it is because conditions in that line of trade are satisfac- 

 tory to the department. However, just as soon as any tendency is 

 discovered to overstep the bounds of honesty and fair dealing, no 

 time is lost in getting back to that particular branch. 



There are extensive commercial enterprises which must always 

 be carefully watched, such as those dealing in coal, ice, groceries, 

 meats and co-related lines of trade. Great stress is laid on the en- 

 forcement of weight and measure laws, since they affect the class of 

 citizens who can least afford to protect themselves. Some of the 

 activities are enumerated here in order that the public may know of 

 the work' of the department. 



It is the duty of this department to make an inspection of scales, 

 weights and measures wherever the same are kept for use in con- 

 nection with the sale of merchandise or other commodities sold by 



