Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-26
NO IMPURE WHISTLES
OPINION OF DIR. WILEY By DIS
TILLERs AND RECrIFIERs.
Mass Of Correspondence Received at
the Bureau Of Chemistry From
Every Glass Of People.

DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, chief Of the bureau
Of chemistry of the Agricultural Depart
ment has received notice that he has "out-
lived his usefulness to the United States
government" The announcement, warn
Ing or threat, or whatever 1t may be called,
was contained in a communication received
by Dr. Wiley this morning from the head
Of one of the biggest distilling and rectify-
ing concerns in the country, and was Of
course, the result of DR.. Wiley's recent an
nouncement with regard to pure and i'm
pure whiskies. Even more remarkable than
the gratuitous opinion concerning DR.. WI
ley's usefulness was statement in the let
ter to the effect that 1.-THE rectifers of this
country pay into the United States treas
ury more than $3.50, coo, 600 annually They
DO more than any other industry to sup
port the government Of the United States.
1t Will be found that your policy is short
sighted and inimical to the government in
terests, and we believe that you have out
lived your usefulness"
DIR. Wiley Not Concerned.
The chief of the chemistry bureau is ap-
parentiy not at all concerned over the fact
that he is probably the most unpopular
man ~ the United States so far as the
rectifiers are concerned. He points out that
campaign agains. any one industry in the
United States. In the course of the fnyesti-
satlon which he has been conducting for
some time in an endeavor to collect a mass
OF data which will assist the department in
securing the passage of additional pure food
legislation. and show just what percentage
OF the various foodstuffs and beverages con-
sumed In this country contain deleterious
substances, Dr. Wiley made analyses of
various Scotch, Irish and American whis-
kles. The partial results of these analyses,
couched in the most. general terms was
given out for publication. DR.. Wiley ex-
planned today that he had no interest in
preventing the sale of the so-called rectifed
spirits. He merely would like to see such
goods labeled in oreer that the purchaser
might know for what particular kind of
compound he was paying.
In this connection it is interesting to note
that number of leading rectifers, who
nave been in correspondence with DR.. Wiley
recently, have put forth the claim that rec
titled spirits are better, purer and more
wholesome than blended" goods In the
first place DR.. Wiley explained today, it is
hard to make the average purchaser whose
knowledge of WHISTLES does not extend be-
yond the drinking point, believe that con-
coction of alcohol. prune juice, coloring
matter water, half a dozen other SUBJ
stances and perhaps little whisky, is just
as healthful and enjoyable a drink as a
mixture of two properly made whistles of
different ages blended with the aid of heat
Consequently, when the rectifiers put forth
the claim that their rectified wares were
just as good and even better than blended
spirits, DR.. Wiley came back at them very
promptly with the suggestion that if this
was the case there could be no possible OBJ
lection to rectified spirits being labeled as
SUCH This latter incident hasn't con-
tributed to revive Dr. Wiley's waning popu-
larity among the rectiiers.
General Interest in the Subject.
One important result of DR.. Wiley's an
nouncement with regard to impure whis-
kies is the great interest awakened In the
subject throughout the country from Maine
to the Pacific, as is shown by the hundreds
of letters received by the bureau of chem
istry daily. Communications have been re-
ceived from hospitals, asylums, penal in
situations, associations of physicians, hotels,
and from individuals. Only this morning
DR.. Wiley received a letter from General
Lew Wallace. author of Ben Hur," THE
Prince of India" and many other famous
works known the world over, asking for a
little more light the whisky Controversy
General WallaceS letter said:
Dear DR.. Wiley: Won't you be good
enough to tell me where and of whom l
can get some really pure rye whisky. L am
in need of a supply of the article. not for
merchandise, but to put in down in my
cellar for my own use and that of my
friends, that is, of course, if there is any
smile, doctor, but an address which will
enable me to secure the article will be
very substantial favor. Very truly yours,
(Signed) LEW WALLACE"
AS DR.. Wiley's collection of letters shows,
Gen. Wallace is only one of hundreds of
persons. many Of them of prominence in
the United States and some whose names
are particularly well known in Washing
ton who are thinking over what the chief
of the bureau of chemistry had to say on
the whisky question recently, and who
would like "a little more light" and Incl
dentally, the name of the special and par
ticular brand that DR.. Wiley prefers. This
is, however, just what they don't get, for
the doctor realizes that charges would be
preferred against him quick enough to
make his head swim If he undertook to en-
gage in advertising any particular brand of
whisky. He merely refers his correspon-
dents to ANY whisky bottled in bond under
government supervision" But he some
times adds, eff 1 could only talk I'd tell
you things about this particular subject
that would make your hair curl, and that
would result either in your becoming
total abstainer, or else in demanding affi-
davits from the distiller, the bother, the
retailer and the government revenue Off
GERS with every bottle you purchased