No. 4.] REPORT OF DAIRY BUREAU. 437 



butter — laws. Of this number, wc lost 17 and nol prossed 

 15, 2 were defaulted and there were 186 convictions. 

 Besides these, 3 eases have been taken from the files of 

 different courts and fines imposed, in instances where the 

 defendant had broken his parole and been convicted of sub- 

 sequent offences. Evidence of violation of the anti-color 

 law is obtained, when possible, by making purchases in 

 stores or of pedlers. Often this cannot be done, because 

 our inspectors are known to the dealer, who will refuse to 

 make a sale ; or it may be that he is so suspicious that he 

 will not sell to any stranger. If a purchase cannot be made, 

 the inspector searches the suspected premises, and if any of 

 the imitation article is found, we have a prima facie case 

 of intent to sell, which is also prohibited by the statutes. 

 In view of the fact that we cannot depend on the first kind 

 of evidence, but must frequently fall back on the second, 

 our statistics do not prove conclusively how this imitation 

 product is ordinarily sold in the usual channels of trade ; 

 that is, we cannot show what the average consumer orders 

 and supposes he is getting. But out of the above 88 viola- 

 tions of the law we had positive evidence in 5(3 cases that 

 sales of the imitation had been made as and for genuine but- 

 ter. In other words, we can prove that, out of 88 cases 

 where possession with intent to sell was alleged, we had 

 evidence in 64 per cent, of the cases that a fraud had been 

 actually committed. These figures are certainly no exag- 

 geration. If they err at all, it is on the side of conservatism. 

 It is evident that, if they are faulty, it is in understating 

 the facts. But on the basis of the above figures, which are 

 absolutely accurate, 64 per cent, of the imitation butter 

 manufactured is sold dishonestly. When to this fact is 

 added the further fact that the sales were made at prices 

 varying from 20 to 26 cents per pound, we find a vindica- 

 tion of these laws. Though criticised by some and misun- 

 derstood by others, they are for the protection of consumer, 

 producer and honest middleman. Every class in the com- 

 munity is interested in honest foods, and these laws are for 

 the benefit of all. No honest product is discriminated 

 against. 



