The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-10
NO NORE WARNINGS
VIOLATORS OF THE FOOD LAW
WILL HEREAFTER BE PROSE-
CUTED WHEN DISCOVERED
POSITION OF MAI. BOWLER
Since the Former Food Commits
siOner Has Notified All Firms and
Manufacturers of the Require
ments of the Law They Are Not
in Any Position to Plead Igno-
rance If They Are Caught.

ments of the Law They Are Not
in Any Position to Plead Igno-
rance If They Are Caught.
When Maj. ]. NJ Bowler assumed
charge of the dairy and food depart
ment he did not find things just as
they should be. Investigation develop
ed the fact that the old administra-
ton had Winked at many of the viola
tons and evasions of the statutes reg
ulatine the sale of food products.
Two of the principal contra band ar
ticles which the department has found
en- the market in large quantities are
baking powder and vinegar. All sorts
of subterfuges have been resorted to
by the foreign manufacturers, as well
as some local firms, to get their pro-
duct or the market.
Maj. Bowler stated yesterday with
great emphasis that no further viola
ton Of the law would be tolerated and
that all who handled Illicit products
would be dealt with summarily by the
department. Discussing the matter
Maj: Bowler stated his position as fol-
lows: 'e'..r
had always understood that the CUES
ton Of policy as related to law was the ex-
executive officers had only duty, that of
executing the laws, impartially and fully.
or course. l can understand that where
legislative law is Of recent enactment the
harshness Of its execution upon those who
really ignorant Of the law, though not shield
ed by that ignorance, infringe its provisions,
appeals to the sympathies of the executives
officer. This probably. is the cause of the
impression that such officers can have a
policy In performing their duties, using their
discretion as to prosecuting the offender or
letting him off with warning.
l am, happily for me- relieved from ap-
peals TO my sympathdes. by violators Of the
sor, whose last report states that he had
tried to place no grievous burden on any
one nor wished TO inveigh against the re-
tall dealer, and had adopted the policy of
informing the manufacturers and dealers of
the requirements Of the laws, giving warn
Ing notice where inspection had revealed
violation of the law. l am thus justified in
assuming that every one in the state effected
by them is now familiar with the laws and.
if found violating them, can raise no plea
OF innocent ignorance. This clears my path
OF the embarrassments that encountered his.
removes me of the need of adopting a pol
ley and leaves me with the single DUTY
or executing the laws. If 1t is needed,
wish 1t known and understood that so far
as the resources at my command permit
the laws of this state with whose execution
l am charged shall be fully and impartially
executed.
At the same time the public should realize
tnat Minnesota Is state of great distances
and that the dairy and food laws affect per,
sons engaged In business in every city town
and village of the state, necessitating visits
of inspectors to each This is especially the
case with the food laws. which cover arti-
cles handled by every grocer in the state.
and the money appropriated for this work
$1,000 annually, Is entirely inadequate to
the employment Of the number of insnec
tors to cover the state .
In addition to this work there are now
about 100 creameries and cheese factories in
the state, scattered, as our dairy maps show.
from one end of the state to the o.ber y.
be visited and inspected by four men. max.
ing an average of about 1856 to each insnec
tor, thus making more than an annual in
is inadequate to the work put upon it. If
will do thoroughly what it does, and Offend
ers will be prosecuted when discovered The
what they are using for food and. as far Az
the jurisdiction and power of this commits,
sion allow they shall have that knowledge.