The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-10-15
A WAY TO STOP FALSE SAL
MON LABELLING.

MON LABELLING.
The department of agriculture has
recently issued a circular relative to
the investigation now being made
under authority of congress into the
character and extent of the adulter-
alton of food and drugs. The cir
cular states that it is generally be-
lieved that ''adulteration, sophisti-
cation, imitation and misbranding of
foods, drugs, and liquors exist to a
very great extent" Many of the
states have enacted laws to prevent
such practices, and the department
desires TO know how these laws have
been enforced, and with what re.
suits. The matter being one in
which the general public is largely
interested, because of its effect
on health, morals, and legitimate
trade, the cooperation of the press
is requested in securing accurate in
formation on the subject.
The people of Astoria have a spe-
cial interest in promoting this inqui-
ry of Secretary Wilson, and the mat
ter should be taken up by the cham
Der of commerce or some other or
ganization and the very fullest pos
sihe information promptly furnished
respecting the fraudulent branding
and sale of inferior and outside sal
mon as the product of the Columbia
river. 1t can be easily established
that the salmon consumers of the
country are annually robbed of
thousands of dollars by unscrupul-
Gus packers and dealers who openly
advertise themselves as engaged in
this dishonest practice. So publicly
and unblushingly is the business of
falsely branding salmon carried on
throughout this coast that the peo-
pie of Oregon and Washington have
almost ceased to notice it. 1t is
taken as quite matter of course
that the packers of Puget Sound and
Alaska fish must use a Columbia
river label in order to find a ready
market for their product. Those
not engaged in the packing business
who are acquainted with the facts in
the case, make no noise about it; on
the theory, probably, that it is a
matter which concerns the packers
of legitimate fish, and if they are too
or negligent to protect
their own interests they deserve TO
suffer the consequence. But the Co
lnmbia river packers dare not take
any steps to protect themselves from
this imposition of outside pack
ers. They, themselves, are all more
or less engaged in the business
of falsely labelling salmon. They
have carried the folly of strife and
contention with each other to such
lengths that it has been found i'm
possible to unite them on any prop
osition looking to the protection or
of their industry. The
only object which seems to animate
any of them, is to pack as much or
more fish than some hated rival, and
in order to save themselves from in
evitable loss or ruin, at the close of
each fishing season they make a
business of packing vast quantities
Of inferior fish, which are sold to a
certain class of general and not over
particular dealers under deceptive
labels as to their class and quality.
No law could be passed for the ap-
prehension and punishment of out
side dishonest packers which would
not also affect those engaged in Co
Iumbia river packing. The result is
that there is no statute in either
or this state providing
for the inspection or regulating in
any manner the branding of canned
salmon. The yilest fish that swims
IN our rivers or lakes might be la
Deled and sold with impunity as the
inest quality of saltwater salmon;