The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-01
FOODS MUCH ADULTERATED.
SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS ON
IT'S SEARCHING INVESTIGATION.

| American Manufacturers Compelled Is
| Impose on the Public in Order to Meet
| Foreign Competition "A Uniform
Rule Proposed to Prohibit DeIcserious
and Unhealthy Food Products.
Washington, Feb. 2S-The senate
committee on manufactures to-day SUBJ
nlitted report on the extensive inves-
tigation it has conducted into the all
legation that many important articles
of food and drink are adulterated so as
to be either serious detriment to the
public health. or where the adultcrant
is not injurious to health fraud on the
ru1 chaser. Accompanying the report is
a great mass Of testimony taken in the
leading cities Of the country. The re-
port says:
"The adulteration Of prepared or
manufactured goods is very extensively
practiced and in many cases to the
great discredit Of our manufactures. It
is only fair to say, however, that a
large proportion Of the American manu-
facturers who are engaged in adulter-
ating food products do SO in order to
meet competition and these gentlemen
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
syrups for what they are, but our COM
pettors get a great advantage which
we cannot surrender
lit is the purpose of this committee
to adopt this uniform rule: To prohibit
the sale of deleterious and unhealthy
food products and to those food pro-
ducts which are simply cheapened by
adulteration, to compel the marking Of
those goods for what they are. Deleter-
ious food products should be prohibited
and the rest thoroughly regulated.
"There have been two general ways
suggested as to the matter of regula-
tion First, to put the important food
products under the internal revenue
law, as we have in the case of butter,
filled cheese and at the last congress
-four The pure flour bill has absolutely
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 25 per cent. in our other countries.
If the rule established by this commit
tee can be carried out as to our other
food products we will not only protect
the consumer and the honest manufac-
49, Ii
for what they are, but we will aslo es-
tabIish a reputation for our food pro-
ducts which will assist us to find a.
ready market for them in other coun-
tries.
"The other plan to regulate the food
products is contained In senate bill
2426, which establishes department
under the secretary of agriculture and
provides for the establishment Of a
board which shall fix the standards for
foods, drinks and for drugs based on
the American pharmacopeia. The
strong argument in favor of this plan
Is the fact that it would be cumbersome
to take all the small articles Of food
products that are now adulterated and
allow their sophistication or adultera-
tion for the purposes of cheapening, and
require stamp upon each of the small
packages for sale.
'"To illustrate: The evidence before
the committee shows that all our pep
pers, cinnamon, Cloves and spices gem
orally, including ginger and gnustard,
are adulterated. One manufacturer tes-
titled that he adulterated these largely
with cocoanut shells, and that the
amount Of the adulterants put in de-
pended upon the man who ordered 1t.
Sometimes as high as go per cent. was
put in. 1t would be difficult, it may be
seen at glance, to establish law for
spices, to compel them to stamp as
mixed spice every package sold. 1t
may be that such cumbersome legisla-
punish those who adulterate
heir goods; but 1t is hoped that senate
dill 2426 will reach all interstate traf-
ic in manufactured food products and
that the board established under the
oill will have power to fix standards
oased upon what is now the standard A
n the American pharmacopeia.
''In the case of butter, cheese and
lour, the frauds practiced were so APP
parent and dealt SO with the most i'm
oortant food products that the revenue
plan seemed to be, and is wise and
successful and it may become necessary
f the real purpose of this bill meets
With opposition and defeat wise and
prudent for this committee to have pre-
oared and ready revenue legislation to
each some Of the most glaring evils
~ adding it to the next revenue bill'
The report says the committee has
lad many difficulties to overcome and
eels that in many cases it has not
,een able to secure the absolute truth.
That so much knowledge has been gain
d it feels is due largely to Secretary
Wilson and DR.. HI. w. Wiley, chief
hemist ofthe agricultural department.
With reference to the importation Of
dulterated foods this report says: "If
is the policy to restrict our own citi-
ems to the use of pure food, we certain
y should apply the same rule to for
igners who manufacture goods 10 DO
old in this country. There is no doubt
n the minds Of the committee that
arge amounts of imported goods are
old in this country. the sale of which
oods would be prohibited in the coun-
ry from which they come"
storm To-day.