§ 580. Purpose and intent. It is hereby determined and declared that
sales to be licensed and regulated pursuant to the provisions of this
article have often been conducted and advertised in such a manner as to
mislead and defraud the public and otherwise to result in harm to the
public interest. Such fraud and imposition on the public has included,
by way of partial enumeration only: the misrepresentation of the
condition or necessity which is the occasion of such sale; the
misrepresentation of the identity of the person conducting such sale,
and the name and style in which such sale is to be conducted; the
misrepresentation that the goods offered at such sale are selling at
sacrifice prices; the misrepresentation that the operator of the sale is
selling merchandise on hand at the time when the necessity, which is the
occasion of such sale, arose, when in fact he is replenishing his stock
with additional merchandise both prior to the commencement and during
the conduct of such sale so as to foist upon the public such added
merchandise as though it were part of the original stock; and the
excessive valuation and misrepresentation of the quality, former price
and ownership of the goods to be sold at such sale. In order to prevent
such fraud and imposition, the public interest requires the regulation
of such sales and the duration and conduct thereof; and the public
interest, therefore requires that no such sale should be conducted
without a license or otherwise than in accordance with this article.