Washington sentinel., 1900-05-26
INFORMATION FOR BREWERS
AND OTHERS.
A Dangerous Bill.

the Dill was puDliSuSd III 10 -OlNiAA'A~
weeks ago, the Vine and Spirit Gazette
Of New York, says:
The Wine and Spirit Gazette has
received a copy Of the socalled Broslus
Pure Food bill which has just been
reported favorably to the House oil
Representatives by the Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce. The
bill is headed III. R, s677," 1t places
a dangerous discretionary power IN the
hands OF the Secretary Of Agriculture
which he can use-if he is so disposed
to the utter destruction of the wholesale
liquor and liquor jobbIng interests,
Under this i'll advised bill the Secretary
OF Agriculture becomes a Gear with
imperialistic powers over the commerce
in all food products. He is directed to
organize a chemical division Of his
department which is charged with the
insps clion of food products and the
prosecution in the criminal courts of the
United States OF any person who shall
violate this law.
The bill defines the term food" as
including all articles used for food and
drink. 1t defines "adulterations" in the
case Of food as follows:
First. II any substance or substances
has or have been mixed and packed with
it so as to reduce or lower or injuriously
affect its quality or strength, so that
such product, when offered for sale,
mr. n
purchaser.
Second. If any substance or sub.
stances has or have been substituted
wholly or in part tor tho article, so that
the product when sold, shall deceive or
tend to deceive the purchaser.
Third. If any valuable constituent OF
the article has been wholly or in part
distracted, so that the product, when
sold, shall deceive or tend to deceive
the purchaser.
Fourth. II it be an imitation OF or
offered tor sale under the specific name
ofanother article.
Fifth. lit be mixed, colored, pow.
dered, or stained in manner whereby
damage or inferiority is concealed, so
that such product, when sold, shall
deceive or tend to deceive the purchaser
Sixth, lift contain any added poison
GUS ingredient or any ingredient which
may render uch article furious to the
health OF the person consuming it.
Seventh. II il be labeled or branded
so as to deceive or mislead the purchaser,
or purport to be ioreiPn product when
not so, or is an imitation, either in pack
age or label, of another substance OF
previously established name, or which
has been trademarked or patented.
IA i 4. Il IL. ,1r hot
article OF food which does contain not
any added poisonous or deleterious
ingredient shall not be deemed to be
aduterated in the case Of compounds
which may now be known as articles OF
food, under their own distinctive names,
but it provides "that the same shall be
labelled, branded. or tagged, as pre-
scribed by the Secretary OF Agriculture,
so as to show the exact character
thereof"
THIS provision means that in the case
of the rectifier and compOunder the
Secretary of Agriculture could compel
the wholesale liquor dealer or jobber to
plainly specify on the label Of his special
brand the component parts ofthe brand.
Corn or bourbon whisky manufactured
IN Indiana or Ohio could not be labelled
Bourbon" under this act, nor would
the California wine producers have the
right to call their wines "Sauterne,"
'Riesling." SHERRY" ETC., etc. The
bill contains other provisions which
bear evidence of the crude manner in
which it has been drawn.
n pure food bill may be, and undoubt'
edly is, a necessity fr America, but
we want no bill which will make the
Secretary ofAgriculture Car, clothing
him with imperialistic power over the
commerce in food products. In legis.
lating on this subject Congress should
distinguish between food and drink.
Purity Of these products should be
provided for in separate bills. For the
purpose of this legislation it is not
feasible to throw drink and food into
one pot.
AS stated before, the Broslus Pure
Food bill has been reported iavorably
to the House with several amendments,
the most important being:
Provided that the term distinctive
name" shall not be construed as apply
ing to any articles sold or offered for
sale under a name that has come into.
general use to indicate the class or kind
OF the article, If the name be accompan
led on the same label or brand with a
statement Of the place where the said
article has been manufactured or pro
duced
The report Of the committee says: 1t
is thought that this amendment is
important, and necessary to protect
producers and manufacturers IN this
country IN the use of names which have
become general to designate some
articles, where the specific or distinctive
names have become general or in gen.
eral use. It the producer or manuiac
turer were dgnled the use OF specific or
distinctive names, in such cases injury
would necessarily resu t. 'Sardins' is
not the name OF little fish, but the name
Of a place, so that persons who are
engaged in putting up sardines IN this
country, if prohibited from using the
word sardine, a distinct name, the word
could not be put upon LABEL or brand,
So with 'chamDagne,' Bordeaux
'Cognac. &c. These are names Of
places and not Of wine and brandy
although distinctive, and il the manu-
facturer be prohibited from their use in
branding and labelling, great irreparable
injury must OF necessity result. Hence
the necessity OF an amendment, so that
these names, although distinctive, where
they have become general or are to