The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-03-24

bills on the calendar in the Senate at
Washington, a bill in relation to the pro-
hibitiOn of the manufacture Of adul-
terated foods, drugs and liquors, and
friends of the bill are making strenu-
GUS efforts to get it before the house.
1t is thought by some that Congress
has TO right to NEEDLE with the bill, as
it is q matter over which they have no
jurisdiction. Now if this was the
case, it would be high time that our
constitution was changed or amended,
so that they would have the same jul
risdiction over that that they have
over other frauds. But we claim that
their jurisdiction covers the manufac-
ture and sale of AL authorizations that
they have a perfect right to legislate
against it, to enact laws for the preser-
walton of pure foods as we'll as pure
morals. 1t is not only their duty, but
it is the duty Of any state legislative
body to do the best they can for the
benefit of their people, and we hope
the day is not far distant when our
legislature will awake from their
lethargy and take such steps as will
tend to the suppression Of the nefari-
GUS traffic. There is no necessity for
us to tell our readers that four-dfths
of the food purchased in every city
throughout the land is adulterated.
They already know it. Butwe would
ask then to look at the effect Of the
authorizations 1t is we'll known fact
that science in our day has reached
the ne plus ultra of learning, and that
it can detect frauds nearly as easily as
if it had seen them compounded. Now
with this fact before us, science tells us
that it is to-day nearly impossible to
get anything pure, and that not only
are harmless things added to increase
the bulk, but poisons of the deadliest
kind are used to give what is called
"body." Now if manufacturers are al
lowed to use. arsenic, strychnine, sui
phuric acid, and host of others which
we could name, in the manufacture Of
drugs, and in the curing of teas, it
stands to reason that their nse must
be injurious and the effects are not
only to be seen on the people that use
those adulterated foods, but will be
seen in the faces and forms of their
children, who, on arriving at the age Of
maturity, will curse their parents for
the blight that has been cast on them.
Now, knowing all this to be true,
shall we sit calmly down and let this
fraud 90 on-a few make their wealth
ut of the health of not only ourselves,
but our children as well? lot them
put their poisOns into our foods, our
drugs, and say to themselves, the peo-
pie cannot help it ; there iS no law
against us? If there is no written law,
there is a great moral law that will
sooner or later try their offences at a
tribunal that is above all courts in
this land. But what we want is some
thing that shall stop it noa0, and we
will have tive must have it. If any
doubt our statements, and are inclined
to look at this matter in an Indifferent
light, let them weigh the question
calmly in their minds, take time to
look up some more facts to inform
themselves better, and then their bet
ter natures will assent their suprem-
acy, and such q hue and cry will be
raised that will make itself felt
throughout the land, on the manufac-
turer will conclude that there is better
business to be engaged in than the
manufacture of poisonous foods and
palming them off on long suffering
and much abused people as the genu-
inc article.