The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-28

States and from widely different classes
OF manufacture and production. The
data is all compiled and presented by the
division, but Professor Wiley does not hold
himself responsible for all the statements
made by correspondents applied to, nor
all the conclusions reached by the special
agent, Mr.. Wedderburn, but he does con-
slider the matter to be so important and to
contain so much Of truth as to justify
their publication and the official report
referred to.
TO be perfectly sure that we are on the
right side and that injustice shall be done
to no one, suppose we discount Mr.. We'd
derburn's report 80 per cent. and still there
remains enough that is startling to Justify
the enactment of the Pure Food Act into
law. On that basis then, the concurrent
testimony of State officials is that there is
need for more stringent legislation, and
that there should be national aid ex-
tended to protect the food of the people.
That fully one-half Of all drugs and all
foods are adulterated to greater or less
extent, and that these sophistications are
'as broad as the continent" to use the
language of Webberburn. That they
affect the pocket moro than the health.
That the general character of food adul-
terations is commercial fraud, and that
the extent of criminal and poisonous
authorizations is very limited. That large
part Of the poisonous authorizations are
due more to carelessness and ignorance
than willfulness.
But, as the chemist we'll says, ''these
facts in no wise excuse destruction of life
or the addition of poisonous ingredients
to articles of food, especially confection-
cry, cream goods, canned goods, bottled
food. cheese, cakes, ETC.
The words of Mr.. Wedderburn are:
"AdulteratiOn is general and increasing,
and no kind of foods, liquors or drugs
are free from the finishing touches of the
manipulators. Ignorance and vice go
hand in hand in their destructive game,
yet whether the intent be criminal and
vicious or simply fraudulent, the result
is the same, and the people suffer and will
continue to suffer. ETC." Drugs, food and
drink cost the people of the United States
no less than Sc, 100, 900, 900, and the amount
of their adulteration is Is per cent, and
represents the enormous value of 81 ,0l4,-
100000 annually. This loss falls most
largely upon the producer, since the most
OF sophisticatson is subsequent to the arti-
Gle leaving the producers hands.
1t is urged against the bills of Mr.. Keen
and Mr.. Wilmington that the demand for
cheap goods justifies non-interterence
with sophistication. But this only proves
that the people are unaware of the extent
to which they are cheated and poisoned,
or are Indifferent to it. But they are not
Indifferent; they may be ignorant of the
facts in this adulteration business. The
afford them means of protection. If they
will not avail of them, then there can be
no complaint The bills now before the
Legislature furnish the means, and that
is all they do. They enable every house
holder or other consumer to protect him
self or herself; that is all there is to it.
Why, then, there should be any objection
to the bills is incomprehensible.
To require dealers to label their food
and drug goods as mixtures" slow
grades" and "adulterations' when they
are such. and to punish them if they label
goods 'pure" and 'full strength" when
they are impure and half-strength, is SIM
pie justice. They will sell just as much,
for in nearly every case of adulteration
the low grade is sold at low price, so
that the enforcement of such law cannot
injure the seller, while it will conserve
the interests OF the producer and benefit
and protect the consumer.