Evening journal., 1901-12-30

hRN kN0Q OI uNNNItltitUs
The unwisdom and injustice of such
legislation are hardly open to question;
ITS only excuse would seem TO be ig-
norance ON the part Of the advocates
Of fixed standards, and a little CONVEX
sation with them confirms this view.
The impression is general among this
class that no COW will give milk be-
low 2 certain standard. and all samples
falling below that are regarded as un-
questiOnably adulterated There is
Furthermore a confusion OF ideas. In
that skinned or watered milk is al
ways classed with dwgged. or prop
erly speaking poisoned milk. and
with diseased milk There Is. how
ever, nothing unsanitary about water
ed milk; the water probably is
its cleanest constituent. There should
be first OF all a sharp distinction be-
tween the crime of adding injurious
preserVatiyes TO human food: and the
purely commercial question Of how
much value Is given for the price
paid. Furthermore the richest milk
is by no means the best. regarded as a
normal food. The prohibited low
testing milks are far nearer natures
standard than those from highly
specialized Jerseys. The milk most
recommended by the Pediatrlc So
ciety. Of Philadelphia. body count
ing In It's membership many eminent
physicians, contains from three and
one-half TO -four per cent. OF fat, not
from five 10 six per cent
Two separate and distinct measures
are needed TO correct abuses and at the
same time to do Justice; First. the ad-
dltion of injurious substances, preserv-
atives or other. not only to milk offer
ed for sale. but also to all food, should
be prohibited under penalties behtting
the crime that IL Is; this Is already
done I'm most States. and Il soon will
be done In ALL Secondly, the CONNER
cial quality OF milk. or the question Of
how much value for the price asked.
and also It's sanitary state as shown by
ARCHAEOLOGICAL and other examination.
should be fixed by official inspection
and analysis. and should be published
monthly.
The fertilizer control furnishes ready
at hand a perfect example OF the prin-
ciple proposed for the dealer may sell
any grade OF fertilizer he wishes and
may ask any price, the purchaser be-
ing informed by official analysis just
what return he may expect The best
check on poor merchandise Is public
lty Let the buyer know just what the
seller has been delivering IN the past
and leave the latter free to offer what
he will at what price he will. This
method was proposed by this Expert
ment Station for the city OF Whining
ton about eight years ago. but &c was
not adopted A well-known milk deal
er In Philadelphia mcloses under the
cap Of each milk bottle a certificate. is
sued to him every month after salts
factory tests by the Pediatric Society
setting forth the healthfulness OF the
herd. the composition and general
sanitary condition OF the milk The
dealer gets IA cents a quart for this
milk the year through; for his uncer-
tilted milk often just as good, he gete
cents. Those who can AFFORD Il are
usually willing to pay the difference
/ Another prominent dairyman In the
vicinity of Philadelphia sells milk OF
several different grades. each bottle
bearing a printed guarantee Of compo.
sition that he viii make good
There IS now no other article OF
commerce so easily and so frequently
analyzed as milk The uncertainty
that surrounded It's composition
twenty-five years ago. when an analy-
sis required a trained chemist, nc
longer exists. People may be better
informed If they wish. as 10 the quail.
lty of milk that they buy than as e
any other article Of food. This would
afford an easy and effective check OF
every form of fraud incident to The
lsale of milk It would be a great pro-
lection TO the purchaser and at the
same time would show justice to The
i producer and the dealer instead Of leg
islating out OF existence useful anC
valuable articles of food. and punish.
ing with fines and sometimes impris
onment those who sell such below .
purely arbitrary. often unnaturall.
high standard. Frequent tests of al
milk offered for sale. together will
publicity will accomplish more, ant
that. too with justice. than all tn
penalties that have hitherto been i'm
posed
Il is a mistake TO suppose that
plan such as this proposed Is especiall
to the interest Of INSCRIPTIONS dairy
men-the dangerous class--or that /
is instigated or would be favored b.
, them. Their preference would be u
y have no test at all and no official su
! Dervlsion. and doubtless many woul
rather take their chances of meetin
present legal requirements than hav
, the composition and sanitary qualit
OF their milk published every montl
Z The greatest care on the part of tn
Y dairyman would be necessary to kee
his milk up to a standard acceptabl
e 10 his customers and worth the pric
he expects for it-not to avoid fine an
D to keep out OF jail The rule OF a
] other trades is TO buy the goods tha
q suit us best for the price asked W
S do not think Of compelling other mel
g chants by means Of threatening leg;
r ines ana imprisonment to sell us whf
g we want. but II We are displeased "
{ traue elsewhere. This principle is z
q the foundation of all permanent bust
+ ness-the merchants effort to pleas
e and the customers liberty TO go else
9 where if he is not pleased. Surely n
e honest purchaser can object TO sanl