Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-19
THE SECOND DAY
The Advocates of Pure Food Again
in Session.
REPRESENTATIVE BROSIUS ADDRESS
He Argues for Unity of Purpose
and Action.
PEN ING TION

PEN DING LEGISLATION
The delegates to the National Pure Food
| and Drug Congress were not very prompt
| in their attendance upon the second days
session, which was he'd this morning in
| the hall of the Columbian University Ten
o'clock was the hour named in the pro-
| gram for opening the session, but at that
| time there were only a few persons in The
hall. and the principal officers were not
| present. However, those in attendance and
others as they came in spent the time very
| pleasantly in conversation. 1t is remarked
/ that this convention is made up of men
| who have a prosperous appearance, and
| evidently the substantial citizens in
| their respective home localities. The pro-
ceedings are conducted in an orderly, bust
ness-like fashion, as might be expected
| from such a gathering.
About 1870 o'c-ock the president of the
| convention, Mr.. Joseph E. Blackburn of
| Ohio, raped for order. The hal at that
time was well filled. The president stared
! that Senator Faulkner of West Virginia,
| who was termed on the program the pa
| iron of the bill in the Senate which is IA
vored by the convention, had been called
from the city by news of the death of his
| father-in-law and in consequence he would
| not be able to address the convention as he
| had expected to do.
| Representative Brosius' Address.
| Representative Brosius of Pennsylvania
| designated on the program as the patron of
| the pure food bill in the House, was intro
| duced. In the course of a speech, which
was listened to with close attention, Mr..
| Brosius said the circumstances of the
| country since their last meeting had
/ changed a since then the in
| had been fought, and a result, in his
| opinion, this country had been advanced I'm
| its history many years. He spoke of the
serious responsibilities that confronted the
| American people in the problem of the
| Philippines, and expressed the hope that
! the people would show that they are
| worthy of their destiny.
| He referred to a statement he had heard
| at the session of the convention last year
| that while the farmers of the country had
| views on the subject of pure food. yet they
were not ready to present a united front
! IN favor of their views. He then went on
| to speak of the uncOncern on this subie
! on the part of the public, and 10 the inertia
! of Congress. He also took occasion to refer
| to q somewhat prevalent idea that MEM
| bers of Congress were in the category of
J indians-none good except those that are
i dead. He commented somewhat humor-
| ouSly on this subject, but ended in a more
| serious vein by claiming that Congress as
a whole was superior body of men.
Pure Food Legislation.
| This conclusion was arplauded by the
audience. and tn N he addressed himself
| more particularly to the subject of the pure
| food bin. He asserted that il was the duty
! of Congress, within its constitutional lin
its, to provide a health environment for the
| puplc and to promote commercial inteS-
| rllY. He die not dely the right of Amer
| lcan Citizens to buy and consume articles
OF food that contained glucose, aniIine dyes
| acids of various kinds and other ingredients
| used to produce limitations of genuine ar
| ticleS of food. But he asserted that they
| ought to be able to identify such goods and
| to know what they buying.
| IN series of alterations he spoke of the
| relations between a peoples food and their
| 1olly; their meat and their morals. their
| digestion and their destiny. He said il was
| necessary to instruct the people in this
matter, ana to demonstrate to them how
| they are being injured, and then he said
| the natural inertia of the public would be
| overcome. He asserted that when the peo-
| pie of this country are in earnest they can
get any legislation they demand. All that
| Is necessary is 10 utter the voice that is
| recognized as being that CT the people. and
| the lawmakers will give heed.
| He paid tribute to the farmers of the
| country and said that one of the things he
was thankful to Providence for was thar
| he had been raised on farm. He spoke of
! the influence the farmers had on public
Questions and the important part they play
| ed IN forming public opinion. He had
something TO say of the difficulty in form
| ing and arousing public sentiment. and said
| that the first requisite was education and
| to white heat with the fervor of purpose
| Demand for United Front.
| Mr.. Brosius went on to say that when
| the people Of the United States present a
| united front and demand pure food iegisla-
| ton from Congress it would be forthcon-
| ing. But, he added, the people must be
aroused from their inertia on this subject
| He expressed the opinion that such legisa-
| ton was bound TO come and that in the
| near future. He advised that the action OF
| the convention be united determined and
| continuous. and at the present, certainly at
| the next, session Congress would enact a
| law which would put a stop on food Mira
| cies.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Brosius' re-
| marks the president announced that Rep
| resentatives Bell of Colorado. Livingston of
| Georgia and Skinner, who We're on the pro-
| gram for speeches, would not be present as
| they were detained at the Capitol by what
| he supposed was public business.
| delegate asked Mr.. Brosius what pros
| pect there was for action by Congress at
| the present session. He replied that il is
| difficult to make a forecast of legislation,
| and he did not want to suggest a doubt
about the action of the national legislature
| on the pure food bill at this session. But
! he added that there are so many matters
| of extreme Importance pressing on the at
tention of Congress that he thought ii was
| a justifable conclusion that action at this
| session is exceedingly doubtful.
| Amendments Proposed.
| A number of resolutions was offered by
various delegates proposing amendments TO
| the Brosius bill. which were read and re-
| ferred to the appropriate committees. Mr..
j. B. t. Topper of this city presented a
| resolution which provided that oleomar-
garine and filed cheese be not exempt by
the bill from the revenue law provisions.
a resolution was offered to the effect that
the delegates be instructed to urge upon
| the legislatures of their states the impor-
lance of pure food legislation. II was pro-
posed to adopt this motion without follow
| ing the usual course of reference to COM
| mittee; but opposition was made on the
ground that the convention had not con-
| sidered the Brosius bill, and had not yet
determined to indorse that measure. BY
vote the resolution was referred to the
committee.
A resolution was presented by Miss Sick
els favoring the encoura cement of a line
( of investigation that viii tend to give infor-
nation in regard to the preparation of food
and the Improvement of domestic science.
1t vas announced that the committee on