One of the principal faults of the coffee trade has been misrepresentation of origin. The coffees known as Mocha and Java, on account of having excellent quality and great popularity, are seized upon as a convenient method of representing other coffees, excellent in themselves but not entitled to these names, as having a like origin.

Until the enactment of the Food Law coffees of various characters, especially Brazilian coffees, were commonly called in this country by the terms Mocha and Java, although the records of the Treasury show that the importations of so-called Java and Mocha coffees annually are very small, yet at retail, very large quantities of the total coffee offered for consumption were known as Mocha and Java. The use of these terms evidently was purely fraudulent. The real coffees bearing these names have exceptionally high qualities and command exceptionally high prices. It therefore became extremely profitable to offer cheaper coffees under the names of the more expensive. When it is recalled that at the present time raw coffees in this country of very good quality can be had at from 10 to 15 cents per pound, it is not surprising that it is a very tempting opportunity to offer them under other names at a very largely increased price.