Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-01
THE FIGHT FOR PURE FOOD
Startling Results of Committee Investiga-
ton.
Many Important Articles Adulterated
-LegisIatf0n Proposed to
Stop the EVIL.

report has been submitted to the Senate
| by the committee on manufactures on the
extensive investigation it has conducted
| into allegations that many important arti-
cles of food and drink are adulterated so
as to be either q serious detriment to the
public health or, where the adulterant is
not Injurious to health, a fraud on the
purchaser.
The report says the committee has had
many difficulties to overcome, and feels
that in many cases 1t has not been able
to secure the absolute truth. That so much
knowledge has been gained it feels Is due
largely to Secretary Wilson and DR.. H. w
Wiley, chief chemist Of the Agricultural
Department.
After a detailed explanation with refer
ence to the testimony and analyses as re-
CARDS many specific articles; of food or
drink. and the extent to which they were
found free from or guilty of aduiteraaon
the committee takes up the matter of the
Importation of adulterated foods and says:
III It is the policy to restrict our own
citizens to- the use Of pure food. we GER
tainly should apply the same rule to for
eigners who manufacture goods to be sofa
in this country. There is no doubt In the
minds of the committee that large amounts
of imported goods are sold in this country,
the sale of which would be proh1bited IN
the country from which they come.
stances of this unwholeSome and unjust
competition which reputable American deal
ers and manufacturers have to meet ana
recommends the establishment of standards
of purity for various articles and the es-
Enlistment at ports of entry of ineXpen-
sive examinations and tests to determine
whether imports come up to these stand
ards.
Extent of Adulteration.
Accompanying the report is a great mass
oS toll in he loading cities of
the country. The report says the import
ance of the investigation made and the leg
islation proposed cannot be too strongly
emphasized. 1t adds:
THE adulteration of prepared or manu-
featured foods is very extensively practiced.
and in many cases to the great discredtt OF
our manufacturers 1t Is only fair to say.
however. that a large proportion Of the
American manufacturers who are engaged
In adulterating food products do so In order
to meet competition, and 1t is the custom OF
those gentlemen to say. We would be glad
to get out of the business OF adulterating.
We would like to quit putting this stuff in
coffee. and would be willing to brand our
sirups for what they are but our eomped-
tors get trade advantage which we cam
not surrender
ut is the purpose Of this committee to
adopt this uniform rule: To prohibit the
sale of deleterious and unhealthy food pro-
ducts. and as to those food products which
compel the marking of those goods for
what they are Deleterious food products
should be prohibited and the rest thor
oughly regulated.
Proposed Internal Revenue Law.
There have been two general ways sug-
gested as to the matter of regulation. First,
to put the important food products under
the internal revenue law, as we have in the
case of butter, filled cheese and. at last
Congress, flour. The pure -four bill has alb
solutely prohibited the sale of adulterated
flour. which was found to be in many cases
dangerous to public health, and has in
creased the sale of American flour prob
ably % per cent in other countries. If the
rule established by this committee can be
carried out as to our other food products
we will not only protect the consumer and
the honest manufacturer who is willing to
sell his goods for what they are, but We
will also establish a reputation for our food
products which will assist us to find
ready market for them in other countries.
Proposed Pure Food Board.
1.-The other plan to regulate the food pro-
ducts Is contained in Senate bill 2426. which
establishes a department under the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture. and provides for tae
establishment Of board which shall fix
the standard for foods, drinks and for
drugs, based on the American Pharmaco-
poeia. The strong argument in favor of
this plan Is the fact that it would be cum
bersone to take all the small articles of
food products that are now adulterated and
allow their sophlstication or adulreration.
for the purposes of cheapening. and require
a stamp upon each of the small packages
offered for sale.
In the case of butter. cheese and -four
the frauds practiced were SO apparent, and
dealt so with the most important food pro-
ducts. that the revenue plan seemed to be.
and is. wise and successful; and 1t may I've
come necessary, If the real purpose of this
bill meets with opposition and defeat, wise
prepared and ready revenue legislation to
reach some of the most giaring evils by
adding it to the next revenue BILL"
NURSING THEIR CASES.