The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-09
THEY DEMAND
UNIFORM LAW
Manufacturers Complain That Diff
ferent States Have Diverse
Pure Food Regulations.
CONGRESS- to Be Asked to Pass a Law
to Which All States Can
Conform.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build.

From The Journal Bureau, Room TO, Post Build
ing, Washington.
washington, July "a lively curiosity
attaches to the operation Of the recently
enacted pure food law which went into
effect on the first Of this month. Inter
est, in the subject has been stimulated by
the extensive experiments at the gov
eminent boarding house" conducted under
the direction Of DR.. Harvey w. Wiley,
chief Of the bureau Of chemistry OF the
department of agriculture. for the pur-
pose Of definitely ascertaining the effect
Of preservatives, coloring matter and
adulterants used in the preparation Of
food products.
The newly effective pure food law was
contained in an amendment to the appro-
prtation bill for the department OF agrl-
culture for the present fiscal year and
authorizes the secretary Of agriculture to
analyze food products imported into the
United States and the secretary Of the
treasury to refuse to deliver up to the con-
signee those goods which the secretary OF
agriculture reports to him to have been
inspected, analysed and found dangerous
to health, or goods the sale of which Is
forbidden In the countries where they are
made or from which they are exported,
''or which shall be falsely labeled in any
respect in regard to the place Of manu-
facture or the contents of the package
History OF Measure.
This legislation was the outcome Of q
| strenuous campaign conducted by the adj
vocates Of pure food laws and was g. coen-
promise between the Mann bill, supported
by the National Association Of Retail
Grocers and certain wholesalers and job
| bers of Chicago, on the one hand, and the
Corliss bill, favored by the Association Of
Manufacturers and Distributors of Food
Products and their allies on the other
| The contest resulted in the passage by
| the house Of the Hepburn bill, which was
| the old Brosus bill revised, but 1t failed
! In the senate owing to lack Of time fol
| consideration.
An attempt will be made during the
| coming session to secure the enactment
| Of q law on the lines Of the Hepburn bill
and a meeting OF the Association of Man
ufacturers and Distributors Of Food Prod
! ucts Will be held at the Manhattan hote
In New York on the 18th Of this month
for the formulation Of plans for the cam
paign. Many Of the largest manufactur
ers OF canned goods in the United State
are members Of this association and the.
desire to have interstate commerce IL
food products regulated so that a uni
formity Of legislation on this subject cal
be secured DR.. Wiley will co-operat
with them and it Is hoped that the diver
gent views OF all parties interested cal
be harmonized to secure united effort.
State Laws Cause Trouble.
1t is represented that the labelling an
branding Of food products so as to NEE
| the requirements Of the laws of the vari
Gus states Is now attended with grea
difficulties and expense. DR.. Wiley one
jestingly said that it almost required tn
services Of a lawyer to see that the label
| were properly prepared and affixed l.
compliance with the laws Of the differen
states into which goods were to b
shipped Pennsylvania stipulates that a
food products not made Of absolutely pur
material shall be labeled compound
Ohio and Massachusetts, demand the us
Of a composite formula LABEL In Min
nesota they are required to be brande
on a heavily printed label "adulterate
mixture" while in Illinois the word 'im
itation'' suffices.
The manufacturer claim they are will
Ing to brand their goods with any of thes
labels If they can have a uniformity
laws which will permit the use Of on
label in all the states. They hope that
congress enacts a law on the lines of tn
Hepburn bill they can persuade the VAR
GUS state legisla lures to pass laws to con
form thereto.
w. w. Jermane.