The San Francisco call., 1899-04-23
HOT SHOT FIRED AT
GOVERNOR H. T. GAGE
WAS ROASTED FOR KILLING THE
PURE FOODS BILL.
j. w. Kerr Says That the Executive
Destroyed the Measure That
Men of Brains Created.

AT a meeting of the Manufacturers and
PRODUCERS Association on Friday j. w.
Kerr chairman Of the pure foods commit
Tee, presented report that has not been
equaled for long time. In very pointed
language he gave Governor Gage one of
the worst roastings for killing the pure
foods bill that an executive ever expert
enced in the history of the State. Mr..
Kerr called attention to the efforts of the
association, the Board of Health and a
number of other commercial bodies to
say nothing of the efforts of individual
citizens, to secure the passage and OBJ
servafce of laws that would protect the
manufacturer and consumer bf the prod
ucts of the State from the injuries worked
by the unprincipled persons who adul-
terate every food product they can ham
die. After all of these efforts what was
considered to be a just law was framed
and passed by the Legislature, and went
TO the Governor for his signature. The
bill died in that officials pocket, and of
this Mr.. Kerr says:
Il did not believe that a man could ever
be found in the position of Governor of
the State of California who would refuse
to approve such a measure. Neverthe-
less, no stone was left unturned in dis
charging our duty, and we confidently
awaited the result, only to be doomed to
disappointment by what would seem to
be an unreaSoning and arbitrary exercise
of authority. That bill originat-
ed from a convention of representative
men from every part of the State. It pro-
posed to deal with conditions which have
been recognized as great evils by other
States of this Union and by the most ad-
vanced nations of the world. 1t was not
the child of darkness in regard to which
any one could plead lack of knowledge
This association, through its officers, had
for three years openly and fairly agitated
this question until every citizen of the
State knew of the pure food movement
and it's purpose.
1.-THE people had responded to the cry
of our farmers for help and their repre-
sentatives had approved the demand for
protection. One man has undertaken to
set aside all their demands, to render void
your work of years. The question of
State economy could not have entered
into the question, for the same hand
which withheld approval of this work
signed the appropriation for a Governor s
mansion, involving an expenditure of
three times the amount called for in the
pure food bill, and certainly If times were
pressing the Governors of California could
have stayed out of doors a little longer
without any detriment to themselves or
to the interests of the State. Under the
present circumstances the striking down
of this effort on the lines of commercial
honesty and good business morals looks
like an arbitrary and unwarranted eXer-
else of authority.
'It is with mingled feelings of indigna-
ton and regret that have to report that
the years of unselfish work and expendi-
ture of money on the part of this asso-
citation, the desire of the people and the
favorable action of the Legislature should
we had a right to expect thoughtful, con-
siderate and public-spirited action