Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 84.djvu/371

Rh bread, potatoes in sacks, berries in boxes, coal in sacks, milk in bottles, and vinegar, ice, and wood are provided for. In regulating the scale of the above-mentioned articles in packages, standard sizes are specified which do not have to be marked with the net contents, but when any other size than the standard is packed, the net contents in terms of weight or measure must be stated on the outside of the package in plain English words and figures.

Wisconsin enacted an excellent general law on the subject, providing for a state supervision of weights and measures under the direction of the state dairy and food commissioner, who is made ex-officio state superintendent of weights and measures, and for a local inspection in charge of city sealers in all cities of five thousand inhabitants or more. This law contains nearly all the provisions endorsed by the National Conference on Weights and Measures.

Several amendments were made to this law in 1913. Among the most important of these is one conferring greater authority upon the state superintendent of weights and measures concerning the appointment and compensation of employees, and another requiring food in package form to be marked with a statement of the net weight, measure or numerical count.

Wyoming has not enacted any general legislation on the subject, but a law relating to food was passed in 1911 requiring that "if in package form, the net quantity of contents be plainly and conspicuously marked, on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure or numerical count." The law in reference to the measurement of hay in stacks was amended, as was also the law in relation to the weighing of coal in mines. In 1913 a law was passed relating to the inspection and analysis of illuminating oils (including gasoline for the purposes of the act) which provides that the absence of the net weight properly labeled on the packages shall be prima facie evidence that they are misbranded.

Altogether forty-one states passed legislation of some sort directly referring to the subject of weights and measures. The statutes in twenty-four of these were general in their nature and authorized or required state-wide local inspection service under the general supervision of a state department of weights and measures; state-wide inspection service under officers of the state without any local inspection service; or local inspection without any supervision by the state. Twenty-eight states passed legislation requiring the weight or measure to be branded on the outside of some original package goods when sold in the original package or required the package or container to be of certain sizes. Of these sixteen referred to some few specified commodities, while twelve were general in their terms. This record shows the remarkable interest that has developed in the last few years and clearly points out the necessity for federal legislation to take care of interstate transactions.

The above list does not show all the activity by any means. A