Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-27
Pure Food Laws.

regulations to insure the purity OF iood
products imported from abroad. The
foreign manufacturer who endeavors
to foist upon the American people any
article Of food that is not what it pur-
ports to be. Is liable 10 have it seized
but the manufacturer residing in the
United states may, and often does, i'm
pose upon the public with preparations
for it's consumption that are not only
bogus, but are also absolutely injurious
to health. It Is not pleasing to learn
that much of the jelly of commerce
currant and cthcrwise-is made from
the cores and paIings left over III the
putting up of apples in gallon tin cans
or. az they are known TO the trade,
gallon apples" 1t is somewhat dis
concerning 10 discover that much Of the
strawberry jam that shines Respondent
from the shelves of various retail
grocery stores is made Of the same raw
jIIdLri A-i Win d VI
grass seed. Some Of the states have
enacted pure food laws; but there ia
such wide discrepancy between them,
that foods which fill the requirements
in some states are absolutely Illegal in
others. 1t is evident that what is ur-
gently needed is a national law that
shall apply with equal force to all the
states, and which will adequately pro-
tect the public against further frauds
and impositions.
At the request of the dairy interests
Congress legIslated strongly against
oleomargarine colored in imitation Of
butter 1t was, however, conclusively
shown in evidence that oleomargarine
Of and in itself IS comparatively pure
and wholesome article of food. We
have no doubt but what if the manu-
facturer had dealt honestly with the
public and advertised and sold their
product openly under It's own name
larger market for it, but would also
have steered clear Of hostile legisla-
ton. The manufacturers of cottolene
secured a large market for their out
put by advertising it for precisely what
it was. The makers Of oleonargarine
undertook to deceive the public into
the belief that they were buying but
tcr-and to "A large extent were sue
ccssful II is altogether probable that
| most people have eaten more or less Of
| this material under the deluaion that
they were consuming a dairy product.
| 1t was this attempt to bunco the pub
J lie that aroused public sentiment
| against the oleomargarinc factories
and resulted in legislation by Con
grcss for the purpose Of shutting off
| further deception. It was legislation
| which the Journal was glad to support
and which it believes to be in the in
terest Of the public welfare.
If, however, such legislation was
needed against q food product not in
| Itself unWhole3omc, how much more IS
it needed against food products which
not only purport to be something radi-
| cally different from what they really
| are, but which are actually Injurious
to nealthT This Is a subject of vital
| importance to the American people
and it is strange indeed that public
| sentiment has so long been Indifferent
to it.
| At the last session of Congress ma
tional pure food law was passed by the
National House of Representatives.;
but. in the hurry and turmoil Of the
closing days it failed to be acted upon
bv the Senate. While this law might
well have been more rigid and compre-
hensivc in it's provisions, it was good &c
far rs it went, and would have done
much to save the American people
from the further infections in the way
| of bogus and impure food supplies. II
| Is q conceded fact that chemica
preservatives-ant used t.
a large extent in preparing various
| food products for the market. The
most common of these is boric acid;
| but there are others that are far more
| injurious in their effects upon the hui
man system. 1t is to be very much
doubted IL any substance that will Kill
microbes, can be altogether wholesome
as an article of human diet We have
never heard of their being used as aids
to digestion in any Of the hospitals OF
sanatoriums.
The time has come when the people
of this country should unite in asking
from Congress a pure food law tha
will effectually protect them from the
imposition of swinGlers who do moi
] hesitate to build up their private profit:
4 at the expense of the public health.
1 Notwithstanding the very general us
Iof the kerosene exterminator in tn