The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-02
MASON And
The M u
Illinois Senator Being Criti-
cized Severely.
THE PURE FOOD BILL
Allegations Of the Use Of "Mineral-
inc" in Flour.
MILLERs REGISTER A DENIAL
That Do Not Tally With
.-.- the Facts.

From The Journal Bureau, Room Is, Post
Building, Washtngton.F
Washington, Jan. at will probably
be long time before Senator Mason
hears the last Of a little speech which he
made just before the holidays on the
seemingly innocent topic of Flour" The
millers of the west and northwest have
been writing here for copies; after which
they write to express very unfavorable
opinions of the junior senator from Hi
nois. To the casual reader the speech
seems quite innocuous. There was lot
of buncombe about the growth of exports
and the magnificent work Of the commit
tee on manufactures, Of which Mason IS
chairman In such matters 1t is we'll
known that senators and congressman are
allowed liberal poetic license. But the
millers say he has gone beyond all bounds
and while protesting to speak for their
interests has libeled and traduced the
trade.
The one act in his career in the senate
of which Mason boasts most often is his
championship of the pure flour bill. This
was a measure aimed at the adulterallon
of flour by the admixture Of corn Hour
with the wheat product. It was tackled on
the war revenue act.
The real credit for this legislation IS
! said by the flour men to be due to MT
| Tawney. who had the fight to make IN
the house. The bill was framed by MI.
| Tawney.
| II had been discovered that certain
millers in the southern states were adu1-
terating flour with the corn mixture ana
! selling it to the colored people. IL was
to prevent the spread Of the corn flour 70 10
! other parts of this country tnat tue piii
was put through. Senator Mason now
claims that large Quantities of flour
adulterated with a substance called min
| eraline" was being sent abroad. ne
claims that his law has stopped TINS ana
resulted in the great increase IN the ex-
ports Of flour. ~
These statements are denounced by the
ftour men as absolutely untrue. They
challenge him to specify a single instance
where '.1nineraline" was used IN nour
adulteration. Senator Mason stated II
|. his4speech that 60 per cess OF the hou =.
| sold in the United States was adulterateo:
| This is denied in the strongest terms.
| The senator said that during the year lol-
lowing the passage Of the Ia" no less tna1
| 70. 600 barrels of -four were conhscateo
| containing terra alba. The millers say
| thew have yet to hear of a single barrel
Of -four being confiscated for containing
| this or any other adulterant. E
| But it is the growth of flour exports on
| which Mason most plumes himself. ne
declared to the senate: "The export trade
has increase from 100000 barrels of
| flour to Is, 100000 in twelve months AS
| against this statement there are the hg-
! ures of the treasury bureau OF STATISTICS
| which reports as follows: The exports OF
-four for 1898 was 100000 barrels; ior
1899. $4,000, 900 barrels; for 1900, lS,OoO, IVY
| barrels; for the eleven months OF l9Ol'
| II 900, 900 barrels. :.
There is no evidence in the official sta
tistics of the so per cent gain Of when
Mason boasts as resulting from his Dill.
The foreign exports of flour for the last
| three years have remained practically the
same in quantity. Another statement
made in the speech of the senator is this:
| I have here printed letter from tne ieau-
! ing merchants in -four in twelve or nfteen
| Of the largest cities in the world, stating
! that Immediately after the passage OF what
| is known as the American pure-food Dill, the
demand for American -four increased
The gentlemen who are taking excep-
ton to the speech of Senator Mason sa!
thew will pay for original copies OF any
such letters. They say they nave no
| heard any such reports from their CORE
| spOndents abroad.
The millers are totally unable to ex.
plain how Mason could have made suct
statements. They say they are fool1snl,
reckless. Until the senator comes to tne
front with proofs of his statements ne WI
continue to hear from the representative:
of an aggrieved trade.
FUNERAL OF The remains of J.
Van Antwerp We're la1'
"VAN." away in Rock Creek GENE
/ terry to-day. Service
were held at the home and were attends
by large number Of newspaper men.
the gathering we're several members Q
congress and Colonel Dan Randall, ser
geant -at-arms Of the senate. Inc inter
ment was private, only the family ana I'm
mediate friends and the pallbearers goin
| to the cemetery.