Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-18
BAD DANDY OUTLAWED.
Eject of the Crusade of the National
Confectionery Association.

Eject of the Crusade of the National
Confectionery Association.
Since the evolution Of the candy trade
from the "gumdrops" Of our forefathers to
the "all day suckers" frosted hRlets. :"
Foxy Grandpas" and other modern kinds
OF confectionery, says the New York Trib-
une, the candy makers of this country have
Increased their product from an annual
value Of 81, 900, 900 to one OF more than $751;
0oo,0 900. In the last fifty years the Increase
In the consumption of candy has been
twenty-seven fold, although the population
Of the United States has increased from Al
1s1, S76 to rs, 303, 3s7, or a little over three
fold. Thus 1t may be seen that the growth
Of the candy trade has been nine times as
fast as that Of the population.
Much of this growth Of business has
been due, IT is said, to the efforts Of the
National Confectioners'- association. The
organization was formed for the purpose of
prohibiting the manufacture of poisonous
candies, or, as expressed by its eonstitu-
ton, ito advance the standard Of conteo-
tionery in all practicable ways and to abso-
lutely prevent hurtful adulterations. Prior
to 1884, when the candy manufacturers held
their first convention, in Chicago, the pub
lie had become prejudieed against the eat
ing of candy because OF certain poisonous
kinds, which often caused sickness and
even death.
nus II grew to be the popular opinion
that color In candy was poisonous and that
the brighter the color the more potent the
poison. As a result Of occasional investiea-
lions, started by local health authorities n
was discovered that harmful dyes and com
c%oetions were used by some candy makers
Cor the purpose Of obtaining a greater mar
gin OF profit, and at the same time to dress
up their products and make them more al
Turing to the juvenile appetite.
The manufacturers saw that In order N
build up their trade on an enduring basis
they must take the people into their conf
dence' Candy must be made pure and
wholesome. Harmful drugs and dyes must
be eliminated. The business must be con-
Quoted on thorough economic principles and
fraud and adulteration must be prohibited.
Ihus In seeking to further their own bust
ness ends the candy manufacturers contend
that they have rendered a great public
service in guarding the millions Of chill
dren OF the land against harmful or deleter-
ious sweetmeats.
To carry out this crusade against po,son
Gus candies the confectioners of the coun.
try held a widely attended convention a,
Chicago In 1884 and decided to secure .be
enactment Of pure candy laws in every
state In the union, as well as a federal
statute at Washington. Because OF the he.
lief OF many constitutional lawyers that a
federal pure-candy law would not be upheld
by the courts the chief energy OF the as
ISOLATION has been directed toward obtain
Ing state statutes, and at the convention
next Wednesday and Thursday It will be
announced that laws have been passed in
thirty-two states prohibiting the use OF
deleterious products in the manufacture OF
candy.
The states where such statutes have been
enacted are for the most part in the east
and west. The last state to pass a pure
candy law was Arkansas. Many OF the
southern states have not yet enacted any
such statutes and in Texas. Kansas, West
Virginia. Washington. Colorado and Ne.
braska pure-eandy bills are stu pendins
enactment. A federal pure-food bill, in
cooperating certain provisions
by the candy makers for the manufacture OF
pure candy, was introduced at Washington
at the last session, but It was sidetracked
In the senate.