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bull-speculations in oil of lemon, a scheme which, with an assurance that 

 defies qualification, proposes to subordinate to a selling syndicate the 

 trade in essential oils of lemon, orange, bergamot, 8jc. in a similar manner 

 as has been done with the citrate of lime business. 



"The painful experiences made in the past give me the right, and 

 make it my duty, to lift a warning voice even at this early moment, with 

 a view of preventing the Government from being misled by the inaccurate 

 data and statistics submitted to it, and by the influence brought to bear 

 by some ill-informed Deputy, into taking a decision which would plunge 

 the essence-industry into a truly frightful crisis, because it would spell 

 confiscation for thousands upon thousands of diligent and respectable 

 workmen. 



"These are the reasons which induce me, taking my stand upon the 

 text of the scheme, to point out the many false and exaggerated assertions 

 contained in it. 



"My criticism will be rendered more effective if I take the principal 

 heads of the scheme separately, and analyse them in proper sequence. 



"The heads are as follows: — 



1. Greater facilities in selling, and in detecting adulteration of the 

 essential oils. 



2. Uniformity in type of the oils. 



3. Means of keeping the oils in a merchantable condition. 



4. On the measures which would be required to monopolise the 

 essential oil trade. 



5. The imposition of an export duty upon the oils, and the ad- 

 vantages which would accrue to the Camera Agrumaria from 

 such a duty. 



6. Various other considerations. 



"1. Under this head it is asserted that the Camera Agrumaria, if it 

 were given a monopoly of the sale of essential oils for export, would easily 

 be able to carry out the objects mentioned, and that the foreign buyers, 

 taking them all in all, would enter no protest in any shape or form, since 

 they would be delighted to be assured of obtaining pure, unadulterated 

 oils in lieu of those which they now receive, and which are said to be 

 disgracefully sophisticated to the extent of at least 30°/o. 



"The exporters number about sixty, and a cry of indignant denial 

 will go forth from every one of these men when they learn from the 

 statements in the paragraph quoted above what scandalous slanders the 

 scheme heaps upon their heads, and how they themselves are held up to 

 public obloquy as falsifiers and cheats, what time thousands of workpeople 

 for whom they provide labour are to be deprived of their means of living. 



"The time has come at last when these despicable accusations should 

 be dropped, for it is well-known that for many years past adulteration 



