New-York tribune., 1901-08-25
EXPOSE THE FOOD coUNTERFE1TERs

The Department of Agriculture has at the
Pan-American Exposition an exceedingly inter
esting display Of pure and adulterated food
product. Except for one thing ii might be said
10 be extremely valuable. The exhibit serves
10 awaken curiosity, dtstrust and even alarm
by showing the public specimens of dyes i'm
purities and even poisons found in alimentary
articles purchased in the open market But 1t
does not enable any person to avoid such adul-
terated foods The labels are removed from the
products subjected to analysis, so that no manu-
facturers feelings are hurt by the exposure OF
his dishonesty and no consumer Is warned what
not TO purchase II he would avoid eating deleteri-
Gus substances.
1t is said that putting the labels alongside the
results OF analysis would give manufacturers
OF adulterated foods not analyZed for the ex-
hibit an advantage over those whose impure
goods were shown to the public In their i'm
purity. 1t is difficult TO sympathize with the
plea that some men should be protected in
wrongdoing because some others doing the same
thing cannot be punished at the same time. On
that theory very few criminals would ever be
sent 10 prison. Whatever Justification there
may be for freeing this exhibition Of the scen-
tlhc work OF the Agricultural Department from
complications. and avoiding making the Pan
American showcases n piIlory for manufact-
urers who are perchance exhibitors on the same
grounds. there is no reason why the department
should be tender OF food adulterators IN gen
eral. II is OF little TO a man TO be told that
out OF ten samples OF canned fruit seven were
loaded with salicylic acid. The information
may make him miserable, but 1t will not give
him protection or help him to protect himself.
Reports show that high priced goods are as
likely to be drugged as cheap ones, and the con-
to tba Of tha nm
less somebody comes TO his rescue. II the gov
ernment undertakes to analyze foods for the
protection of the public II should spread broad
cast with its analyses the names OF the makers
of the articles examined The truth Is no libel,
and II a poison Is found in n certain brand Of
food II Is right TO say exactly in what 1t was
! found so that people can avoid 1t. Perhaps they
might in ignorance turn for time to foods
equally aduterated. but with active depart
ment those too, would be exposed, and at the
same time the government analyses Of articles
honestly fabricated would direct consumers In
the right path as we'll warn them from the
wrong
( There ought to be some way to make this
| knowledge Of what to buy and what 10 leave
! alone general. Too frequently, just as at Buff
! falo those who learn that vtriol Is put In some
| of the canned vegetables which they buy are
! not told Just Wnlcn OF tnein are so tredleu anu
! such information as is embodied in reports as
10 factories and brands does not circulate widely
/ among those who are the principal consumers
/ Of the goods and no attempt Is made to render
! nonulorlv available the fact that a certain
! brand of peaches contains formaldehyde. as
! there is to tell people that they are in danger
from q counterfeit five dollar bill which happens
70 he afoat The money counterfeiter does no
more harm than the food counterfeiter. They
| ore both frauds. and the government officials
who detect them should advertise them as such
! co that no innocent person will he wronged
Tho food adulteratoris entitled to no protection.
Every brand found not true to Its represented
character should be ruthlessly exposed. IL that
course hurts anybody's trade it will he because
.,,otr trade is dishonest and ought to be hurt