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siou, that it has been a matter of no little difficulty to confine himself 

 strictly, in making this report, to the judicial and impartial terms which 

 its character seemed to require. It would be quite impossible, for the most 

 conservative and moderate of men, to go through the evidence perused by 

 him during the past few months, without being frequently provoked to 

 almost uncontrollable expressions of reprobation, at the overwhelming 

 evidence of fraud, on the part of persons enjoying no little degree of 

 social and commercial prestige among their neighbors. A reckless dis- 

 regard of the laws of health, and of the moral law seems to characterize 

 a large number of manufacturers of and dealers in products which of 

 all others ought to be pure, and nutritious. 



Such evidence as the writer presents in the other portions of this 

 report are, in his opinion, amply sufficient to justify the following con- 

 clusions : 



That, in view of the extensive and increasing adulteration, misbrand- 

 ing, and debasing of food, liquors, and drugs, and in view of the fact 

 that such practices can not be entirely and effectually regulated by 

 State laws, owing to the numerous complications arising from inter- 

 state commerce, it becomes, therefore, necessary, that State laws should 

 be supplemented by national law on this subject. 



That such national legislation is demanded not only by the State au- 

 thorities, but by public opinion. 



That the consumers of our food products peremptorily, and very justly, 

 demand absolute protection from the evil practices of many manufact- 

 urers and dealers, and that wherever the State law can not give such 

 absolute protection, adequate national legislation should be provided. 



That, in addition to the interstate commerce feature which must nec- 

 essarily be regulated by national legislation, it is well understood that 

 no other than national legislation can meet the exigencies of our ex- 

 port trade, which, without the protection of efficient national laws, will 

 certainly and rapidly dwindle into insignificance in the face of a grow- 

 ing and most unfortunate reputation, which obtains in foreign coun- 

 tries in regard to our food products, owing to the prevalence of th^ 

 practices referred to and the want of an adequate system of national 

 inspection of all goods intended for export. 



To enumerate all those to whom the writer is indebted for many 

 courtesies and practical aid in the pursuance of his work would be im- 

 possible, but he can not close his report without special mention of Pro- 

 fessor Sharpless and Mr. W. W. Kimball, of Boston, and the Hon. F. 

 B. Thurber, of New York, whose public- spirited interest in this work 

 has been as unremitting as it has been valuable. 



Respectfully submitted. 



ALEX. J. WEDDERBURN, 



Special Agent. 



