South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-11
FARMERS To COME
WIT HIN WEIGHTS
AND MEASURE LAW
When Dealing With Public on
Market They Become Mer-
chants and Must Sell
by Weights.
R1 William h. Grimm.


tic feeling OF unfairness has been
caused 10y the law enacted by the
recent legislature pertaining to the
selling ~ weight Of certain COM
modities. The exceptions i'm the act
have also cause considerable dis
sention, and at the last meeting of
the council of the city of south
Bend the question was discussed at
some length
According To the state law. APP
proved March 8. this year. and
which was put into effect ON June
j by proclamation OF the governor.
the following articles must be sold
by weight or by numerical count.
Apples, grapes. peaches. pears.
plums, ounces. crauberries. prunes.
raisins, dates. figs. dried apples.
dried peaches. apricots. rice,
beans. green beans. carrots. onions.
parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes.
tomatoes. turnips. beets peas. green
peas, cabbage. caulitlowe-, endive.
lettuce. spinach sauerkraut. barley,
bran. buckwheat corn i'm ear. she'll
cd corn. corn meal. flour. wheat.
I'VE, oats, sweet corn in ear. she'll
ed sweetcon, hominy. dried sweet
corn, popcorn i'm ear. shelter pop
corn. blue grass seed. broom corn
seed. canary seed. cotton seed. clo-
yer seed. timothy seed. hemp seed.
malt. millet. onion sets. orchard
grass seed. rape seed. red top seed.
English walnuts. black walnuts.
hickory nuts. Brazil nuts. pccans.
almonds flberts. ice, coal coke,
lime. salt. sugar tea. coffee bulk
spices. cheese. butter. oleOmarga-
riue. lard. fresh and salt meats. fish.
game fowls, chopped feed. candy.
and other commodities usually and
customarily sold by weight"
Admits OF Exceptions.
Several exceptions ara made i'm
the law Seeds i'm sealed packages
fresh vegetables customariIy sold
by the bunch. and fresh berries sold
l,v the standard quart or pint box.
are excepted. When both buyer
and seller agree i'm writing TO use
some other method of sale. then
the law does not apply, nor does it
affect the original producer Of the
Toodstuns delivering from house
10 house direct from the source Of
production or delivering at the
source OF production.
10 is this last named exception
which causes trouble. Peddlers i'm
the city must use scales 90 sell APP
piles. potatoes, and the other articles
named. while the farmer may come
To- town and use "a dry measure.
However. on the other hand, the
farmer is liable 90 prosecution UNI
less the peck or the bushel which
he gives weighs "a certain amount.
Perhaps the peddler has "a little the
rest OF II. although there is nothing
80 prevent the farmers from using
"a scales should he - desire.
Merchant ON Public Market.
ON the public markets I'm the
state. however. the farmer is con-
sidored as a merchant. Tie is
neither peddling from house TO
house nor delivering at the source
OF production therefore. he must
Use scales Many farmers prefer
ro use scales at all times. rather
rhan be held liable for g.Viue short
weight. Another state law passed
nv the same legislature fixes "a pun
fshmcnt for the first ofease at a
sine of not less than $40 nor more
than $50. for the second. not less
than s25 nor more than 500. and
for Subsequent ofenses % fine Of
500 and Imprisonment i'm the coun-
IA iaI for not less than 80 days nor
more than go days
Tables Adopted IN Law
The standard avoirdupois weight
81 n hushel of certain commodities,
,s eved b, the state legislature. fol-
lows: