The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-10
The Pure Food Law.

The Pure Food Law.
1t is nearly year since the pure food
law was passed by the legislature ana
over eight months since 1t should have
gone into effect. Up to date 1t has been
practically dead letter. The law has
not been enforced, and according to all
accounts the sale Of adulterated food
goes on without much hindrance.
The purpose Of the law was to pre-
vent the sale and consumption of the
many deleterious food compounds which
dealers In this state are throwing upon
the market, thus endangering to some
extent the public health. For good arti-
cles in constant demand inferior sub
stitutes have always been manufactured
whenever money could be made by 1t,
and there are few staple products re-
quired by the household In place OF
which villainous compounds are not of
fered with the assurance that they are
''just as good" 1t is to protect the
public against these limitations that the
pure food law was passed. The bogus
have. often been found to be poor sub
stitutes for the real articles, and in the
interest of public health 1t has been
found necessary 50 to regulate their
sale as to make 1t possible for the pur-
chaser to know what he is getting. The
law intends that the dealer shall not
be permitted to mislead the purchaser
into believing that ne is buying a gen.
uine article when In reality he is get
ting cheap and inferior substitute.
Commissioner Mcdonald has taken It
upon himself to show leniency in the
enforcement of the law out Of consid-
Grafton for dealers who were taken un-
aware, so to speak, when the law was
passed. Many of them carried large
stocks of goods, the sale Of which would
be affected by the law, and 1t was gen.
orally conceded that hardship would
be worked IL the law was enforced rig
idly at once and merchants were COM
PEELED to hold large quantities Of goods
as unstable. No objection, therefore,
seems to have been interposed to the
use by the commissioner Of some lati-
tude and discretion in enforcing the
law for a reasonable time until dealers
could be in position to live up to 1t.
It would seem that the time for leni-
ency has passed. 1t is now nine months
since the law went into effect. but there
is evidently no more effort being made
to enforce 1t rigidly than there was six
months ago. The commissioner has
uttered threats and issued proclama-
tons announcing what he was going to
dc. and then seems to have hesitated
about doing it. He says there are deal
ers who are not complying with the
law, and reiterates his intention of
bringing them to justice. but that is
what he has been saying for some time,
and the dealers ply their trade unmo-
Tested. A few parties have been found
guilty Of infringing the law and fined,
but the number is hardly enough to
keep up appearances.
What the public would like to read
is not a record of what the commission
err is going to do, but of what he has
done. Nearly year has passed, and 1t
is now time for less talk. fewer PROM
ises and more action. The commission
err has dawdled long enough, and mer-
chants cannot complain IL he now re-
fuses to grant further Indulgence and
insists upon goods being sold according
to the law. II merchants have not ac-
commodated themselves to the new con-
ditions it is evident they do not intend
to, at least so long as they have pure
food commissioner who will treat them
tenderly. The time for tenderness has
gone by, however They have had a
long period in which to adjust their
trade, and the law should now be en-
forced. If 1t works too great injury or
becomes unpopular 1t can be repealed
If the people so order, but its nom
enforcement is a matter which should
no longer rest with the pure food COM
missioner.