The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-11
FOOD ADULTERATION.
Vigilance of Purchasers the Only Effectiv,
Security Against 1t.

Vigilance of Purchasers the Only Effective
Security against 1t.
Congress devoted great deal of
time this year to the consideration of
bill to put check upon the adultera-
ton of butter and the sale of sham
batter. The bill was known as the
oleomargarine bill, although it dealt
with all substitutes for butter and all
substances used either to adulterate or
to color genuine butter.
The bill was passed in each House
only after much opposition, and it
caused some bad feeling. 1t is an en-
tirely new thing for Congress to pass
any measure the real object of which
is to protect the food of the people
from adulteration and sham, but in
the opinion of those who voted for the
bill there was necessity for this
action. There are State laws aimed at
bogus butter. but they can not be so'ef-
fective as National law, which, be-
sides being everywhere in force, at
tacks the manufacturer of the article
by laying a tax upon it.
The adulteration of food is very
common practice, and is rendered easy,
first by the prevailing demand for
cheap things, and secondly by the ex-
traordinary good nature of Americans,
which suffers imposition without ef-
fective resistance.
You go to your grocer's and buy
some sugar. You can very easily tell
whether you are getting the pure article
or not. Of one thing you may be sure:
Grocers can not buy pure sugar below
certain price, which is printed in all
the daily papers. If you buy below
that price, you are buying glucose
Now well-made glucose may not be
harmful, but on the other hand, it is not
useful. A cents worth of glucose will
not sweeten any thing SO much as
cents worth of grape sugar. What,
then, do you gain by buying cheap
sugar-cheap because it is aduterated?
Other substances which are much
adulterated are spices. Possibly moth
ing injurious are put into them, but they
are weakened, and more must be used
to season the same amount of food.
There are numerous substitutes for
coffee, but at present it is about as cheap
w vi lin pun III tlAIllsllis VI lllO
coffee, as it is to drink any of the sub
stitutes. 1t is frank" and has not the
delicate flavor of the Arabian and
Javanese cofees, but it is strong and
pure.
In some cases the practice is, not to
put foreign substances into the article,
but to take out some of the useful in
gradients. A good example of this is
afforded by lard. Provision men have
on sale tin pals containing what is
called pure Leaf Lard" The substance
within contains nothing which is not
contained in lard, but in many cases it
has gone through Il process which has
removed q valuable ingredient of lard.
We might make long list of articles
that need to be constantly watched in
order that attempts at adulteration
may be defeated. Candy and con-
dictionary, baking powders, milk
these are few of the articles, and
others will occur to readers. 1t is be-
lieved that more than one-half the So
called wine sold in this country is
either manufactured without the use of
grape juice, or ''doctored.
1t is great mistake to rely upon
laws to correct evils like this of
adulteration. OF course there must be
laws against the practices objected to,
and legal proceedings against those
who are detected in them. But the only
effective security is in the VIC GLANCE and
determination of purchasers. 1t should
be the rule of every man to take notice
of every imposition of this nature, and
to cease trading with those who persist
in selling sham goods for genuine.
There are, it is true buyers who
seek adulterated articles. That does
not excuse tradesmen for offering i'm
pure articles to those who wish for
pure. If man continues to offer the
false goods after his attention has been
called to the matter, he is not an honest
man. and his shop is to be avoided
Youths Companion.