Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-02-15
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Is, 1900.
IMPURE FOOD.


There is one law which is badly needed
in Virginia, one Which would protect the
public from the sale Of impure foods. Our
(not ours but Mr.. Martin's) Legislature is
very busy at work passing bills Of purely
a local character, or absorbed with meas
ure that are of great interest to the Hobbies,
but the average Virginia legislator has no
time to give to such great questions as
pure food law or pure election law.
In other states great work has been done
by the passage of pure food laws and tn"
appointment of Food Commissioners to re-
leve the people of those states from the
imposition of adulturated articles of food.
Such law was passed in Pennsylvania in
1895. Before that law was enacted it was
estimated that at least 80 per cent of the
food sold in that State was adulterated or
sold under a false name. Five years active
enforcement of the pure food law 10y Il
capable Commissioner has reversed the
conditions, and it is confidently as-
serted that not more than 10 per cent Of
the food now sold in Pennsylvania is adul-
terated or misbranded. 1t is claimed by
men who know, that the Pure Food De
partment of Pennsylvania has accomplish
ed more for the health of its citizens in the
past four years than have all the physi
clans in the State.
Seven other states in addition TO Penn
sylvania have laws governing the sale OF
articles of food. Most Of these laws cover
"all articles of food or drink used by man. !"
The results of their enforcement have
been to greatly reduce the sale of aduter-
ated articles, thereby benetitting the public
health in wonderful measure and saving
millions of dollars that were formerly eX-
pended for injurious, adulterated articles.
Among the receptions that are now piac'
ticed in the sale of articles in states that
have no pure food laws we may mention
the following Acid phosphate of lime
for cream of tartar, cotton seed oil for
olive oil, various e1eals and chicOry ground
for coffee, ether extracts 10 initiate various
fruit flavors used by soda fountains, glucose
for cane syrup, cane syrup and glucose
favored for maple syrup, jams, jeleSr
made FROM gelatine, starch and glucose,
favored to represent various kinds OF
fruits, mince meat without any meat, On
horse flesh for beef, calsup made from
pumpkin and tomatoes, colored with ami
line dye and preserved with salicylic acid,
CIDER vinegar made from saw dust, gyD-
sum, white earth, buck wheat huils, Cocoa
nut and almond shells, ground and mixed
with spices, flour containing alum, glucose
and perhaps many other adulteranls, filled
cheese, compound lard and other things
too numerous to mention.
These vile, adulterated things are being
sold in Virginia and in other States that
have taken no steps to stop the outrageous
traffic in articles that may truly be termed
"death in the pot"
The Virginia Legislature occupies its
time in partisan legislation, devising
schemes for keeping the Democratic par
ty in power, in the consideration of rail-
road charters that are supported and OH-
posed by rich Hobbies, but wastes none Of
its precious time upon legislation that will
give the people pure food and pure
elections.