The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-03
MASON "'WAY OFF,
His Speech on ssFlour" Shows He
Wasn't Posted.
NO ADULTERANTs USED HERE
Local Millers Talk of the Illinois
Senator's MisinfOrmatiOn-
Matter of Exports.

Minneapolis millers say that Senator
Billy Mason of Illinois, has made himself
the laughing stock of flour milling cir
Giles the country over because of his vain
glorious speech on Flour just before the
holidays. According to the millers inter-
viewed by T h g Journal about the
only point which the senator succeeded
In establishing was that he was grossly
ignorant of the subject. Senator Mason s
talk on flour was incidental to his review
of the growth of exports and the work OF
the committee on manufactures, of which
he is chairman.
Senator Mason is most given to boast
ing about his championship of the pure
Hour bill-a measure aimed at the adul-
teration of flour by the admixture of corn
flour with the wheat product, which was
appended to the war revenue act. He
said that large quantities of flour adul-
terated with substance called mineral
inc, had been sent abroad His law, he
said had stopped such adulteration of
flour and had greatly increased the export
trade
Representative millers of this city,
whose firms ship most of the flour from
the United States 10 Europe, say Senator
Mason's statements are absolutely with
out foundation, and that he has, in effect,
HbSed their business methods.
Adulterants Never Used Here.|
Said Henry Little Of the Pillsbury-
Washburn company:
Senator Mason is very wide of the mark
when he says that flour exports, thanks to
legislation introduced by him or any one
else, have increased 80 per cent The fact
is that flour exports have Just about held
their own. I believe the total for last year
was little less than for the foregoing year
a fact which does not indicate very close
inquiry on the part of the Illinois states
man.
When he says the mllers of the United
States ever used "mineraline' or any other
adulteration and that so per cent of the
Hour shipped from this country was adulteE
ated, he ISLANDERS the industry of which he
claims to be benefactur.
l can say, without the slightest fear OF
contradiction, that Minneapolis -four has never
been adulterated, and dealers here have never
been under any temptation to foist upon the
public anything other than the pure article
Many people imagine, because of the coarse.
ness Of the flour. that adulterants are used
and our correspondents are kept busy answer.
ing personal letters accusing us of using vari
Gus foreign substances Only recently we re.
ceived letter from & man in Illinois in
sisting that we mixed sand with our t1Oul
and demanding an explanation. We make II
point to see that all such communications
are promptly answered and demonstrate tt
the parties making the inquiries that they
| are mistaken. We have a standing offer O
a large reward to any one who can prove tina
our flour is adulterated in the slightest man
ner.
| Exports Just Hold Their own.
| John Crosby, John Martin and w. H
| DunWoody, of the Washburn Crosby com
pany, all deny Senator Mason's state
mentS.
'Flour exports have simply held theil
own" said Mr.. Crosby, land Senator Ma
sons pure flour bill hasn't affected the
situation one way or the other, so far a:
we are concerned
! Said Mr.. DunWoody:
| Senator Mason has evidently given his state
! ments broad application, from the fact tina
| millers in the southern states were adulterat
| ing -four with the corn mixture, and selling i
| to colored people. 1t was to prevent tn
! country that the bill was put through 1t wa
| a just measure and so long as corn -four i
! so labeled there is no objection to its being
| sold as such it is a wholesome food stuff ant
makes very good bread I never heard o
| "mineraine'' or any other prepared adulter
ant, and would like to know where Senate
Mason got this information.
| Mr.. Martin was aware that Minneapol1
millers had been accused of using 'terr;
| albion" or powdered white earth an
! marble dust, but no one had ever under
! taken to prove the truth of such asser
! TONS