Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-19
lURE FOOD BILL.
,.d;cations That It Will
Pass Senate.
!. Been Little Open Opposition
TO Measure.
....I;,r History of Food Legislation
what Pending Bill Provides.
Washington, Dec. IS.

Washington, Dec. IL.
&c fair chance that the pure |
~ bill now pending in the Senate.
w naesed the House last January. |
he brought to a vote some time
~. the holiday recess. The friends |
w.. hill believe it will pass, if they
adroit enough ever to get the roll
n.a on if. Curiously enough, there
noon little open opposition to the
"a n;,ber in the Senate or at the hear
w. bafore the committees. And yet
lacked and thoroughly effective OPP
..,lon has delayed the bill at every
.,.,ritv. The few senators who by
snn,on report are opposed to the bill
VA The strong tactical position that
w. cannot be openly charged with de-
~ lie defeat. Their method of at
..Dg has been to delay final considera-
=, bv various legislative subterfuSes,
N. mammal interest of other meas
uss. -,
yobodv asserts that the present bill
!. ,s-fect but everyone familiar with
~ subiect realizes that if Congress
rrfs OIL ltSlSItliOii dlASAA tAi'
s,rlass measure can be enacted, ma
s.r,I n,lre food law will never come to
.,ec All the pure food measures o.
~ last fifteen years have been met
vi.h the statement that they were not
,e,fert. The present bill embodies al
rost every principle contained in the
paddock proposal of 1890. a bill which
,sssed the Senate, but failed in the
pmse. Essentially, it contains the
divisions of the Hepburn bill, which
n,ssed the House, but failed in the
senate. So it may be fairly said to en-
hOdy the principles which have been
s.narately approved by each house of
Congress.
Fooi legislation has had a peculiar
history. DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, chief
Of the chemistry division of the De-
mrtment of Agriculture, in testifying
tpfore the Senate committee, declared
that the agitation for food law was
started by the consuming interests. The
bill which originally passed the Senate
vas promoted by the Grange and by
fqyume.s. Afterwards the makers of
wholesome food products became inter-
e.d in such legislation, and finally
certain officers of the various states.
D. Wiley also brought out the fact
that the Department of Agriculture
had nothing to do with the framing of
this bill The secretary has taken the
npund that as it proposed to commit to
him the duty of administration, he
ought not to interfere with any of its
features.
The amount Of drugs and foods on
the market which are adulterated or
rsbranded has appalled, the experts
who have made Investigations. The
value Of such fraudulent goods sold
zach year in the United States amounts
to SNtd00. Nearly all the States have
hWs but their inability to enforce
these provisions in interstate commerce
furnishes the ground for national assis-
lance. The State power to reach ana
Iunsh tn, real offender is practically
oil. For example. a manufacturer In
Rhode Island may adulterate food or
trugs and ship them into Illinois. and
20 long as they are in the unbroken
package they may be sold there. When
the package is broken, however, by the
retailer. and the adulterated goods are
sattc-ed. the pure food commissioner
illinois. through the courts. may deal
with the retailer, not with the manu-
iaturer, or the shipper. This retailer
presumably innocent of the charac-
Ter of the stuff he has bought. The
State cannot go out of its own boun-
dares to make an arrest. and hence
More than % per cent. of all the adult
sated goods, both in food and drugs
ile Sent from one State into another
The problem becomes a national one.
The pending bill simply provides, as
Senator McCumber has pointed OUT
nat if teh Secretary of Agriculture
les on investigation that manufac-
gsFs are sending adulterated or mis-
cated goods into any State. he will
sf them notice that they are SO
urged and an opportunity at hear
ing to defend their action. If the man.
u4c'urers then cease to send out such
svels' nothing more is done; but II
@ey persist. the secretary will report
vel acse to the district attorney Tor
Wsecution. The proposed law keeps
0Aey outside of the state itself.
%hator McCumber. speaking in the
'sIe on Tuesday. thus summed up
We purposes of the BILL 1T Injuries nc
's'i1nate business; it does not deter
.+e what shall be shipped into any
'e' 1t does not determine what shall
lone with it in the state. 1t reither
r''lolts nor interferes with any COM
S'ee whatever. 1t simply says that
goods must be unmasked before
cross the state line. Ne legfti-
'e dealer can object to law of this
tA"c'er 1t does not prevent man
WIN sm ouying what he desires to eat OF
hoy 1a' ne desires for drug. 1t simply
hr,s a'es that he shall be protected IN
,susing what he does want, either fos
,ba. Ut IN the drug line. I anticipate
,io ~' 10 person could urge any objec-
!" law of that kind"
A., on Illustration of the chaotic con-
one . VI the food statutes of the vari-
so,. s.''es' representative Of the AS
ha''oh OF Manufacturers and Distri-
ST.. Ms ot Food Products in the United
hW0 testified that If manufactures
srss Jersey desired to ship his food
hh., ou' OF that state he is obliged t.
ID na mem in thirty-six different ways
states eau'fe'i'ehts OF the various
nj, national Government now has
.nlrol over imported foods. for thu