The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1904-02-03
FOR PURE FOOD.
Lecture Delivered by DR. c. D.
Howard is Revelation.
Every Article purchased by him For
Test Mas.Found to be AduIterated or
Misiabelled- Lawmakers Of the State
Ne d to be Awakened to Conditions.

MisiabeIled- Lawmakers Of the State
Ne ID to be Awakened to Conditions.
DR.. c. d. Howard OF the Expert
mcnt Station recently delivered lee
ture on foods and their authorizations.
This lecture was not heard by large
audience hut the hall should have
been crowded as what was said Is OF
immediate interest to every one In
Morgantown.
The talk was illustrated by an ex-
hibition OF the various preservatives
and adulterants now SO generally used
In the preparation of the foods occur
ing upon the market. There was al
so an exhibit of sundry canned and
bottled goods, bought for the purpose
of local dealers. In every case, these
had been found to be adulterated or
misbranded.
The speaker called attention to the
facs that recent compilation Of food
legislation OF the various states, shows
that West Virginia's laws 10 this re-
spect are not only briefer, more meag
er than those of any other state Of the
Union, but they are also among the
least uptodate. As an instance of the
crudeness OF such laws as do exist,
the clause relating to oleomargarine
may be cited. While nearly all the
states have laws regulating the sale of
this article, yet West Virginia, with
one exception, is the only state in the
Union, demanding that such shall be
pink. For all practical purposes of
enforcement, IL might as we'll require
that the color he black Such a law,
If enforced, would in either case be
prohibitiye.
Yet oleomargarlne. is perfectly
wholesome food, and under present
conditions there is every reason why
its sale should be encouraged other
than prohibited. as 1t is vastly bet
ter article than the average country
butter as sold 10 this state. The
farmers of West Virginia, as class,
understand little or nothing Of the
making of really good butter, and un-
til change is wrought in present
dairy practice, they must expect to
encounter formidable competition in
the sale OF oleo.
A canvass of Morgantown stores
shows that practically all the dealers
are very conscientious uoncel ming the
sale OF oleomargarine. Doubtless be-
cause the latter, as now sold, is of a
considerably paler hue than that usu-
ally noticeable in genuine butter, the
dealers seem unanimous in making
the claim that the former is not col
ored at all. Yet all that came under
the speakers observation had been
distinctly dyed to certain extent.
However, the main question in this
connection is not so much one of color
as of genuineness. Over In Pennsyl-
yania last year, the Board Of Agricrt
ture inspectors found that nearly SIX
ty per cent of the goods purchased by
them as genuine butter, Were, in re-
ality, oleomargar,ne. There can be
no question but that not little Of
the latter is thus dispensed from time
to time heIe in Morgantown, although
doubtless, in most such cases the
dealers themselves do not know when
they are selling it.
The matter of the adulteration Of
such articles as vinegars, canned goods,
syrups, and favoring extracts, was al
SO discussed A can of expensive
French peas was exhibited, such hav-
lug been found TO contain copper in
large quantities. A specimen of
"strictly genuine" strawberry extract,
the taste of which was vile, was found
to consist of an alcoholic solution Of
an auiliDe dye, together with little
artificial fruit ether.
Saccharin, an artificial sugar pre-
sentative, $50 times sweeter than cane
sugar, was literally tasted by those
present. 1t was explained that this
is frequently used in ice cream and
to sweeteu canned corn, etc, but that
on account of its antiseptic nature its
regular use should be condemned, as
its tendency is to impair the digestive
processes.
Attention was also called to the
handicap under which West Virginia
citizens labor with respect to the con-
sumption of inferior food. "Any
grocery drummer knows that the
goods that are "all right" in Parkers-
burg, will not do at all, across the
river at Marietta, while the articles
that the latter place rejects, the Park
ersburger uncomplainingly consumes, :
and at the same price that the Ohio
citizen pays for the best" :
In coBtroversion of the argument,
covertly circulated by the food lobby
against the desirability of system of
food inspection, on the ground that it
would render possible unlimited black
mail, attention YVES called to the fact
that such had never been imputed in
connection with the long extended
operation of food laws in any of the
other states. Moreover, the most
powerful opponents of pure food legis-
lation are generally the powerful man
ufacturers themselves. No allusion
was made to another species OF argu-
ment, likewise coyertly circulated by
the food Hobbies, which in the past
have kept such vigilant guard over the
legislative actions of other state as
semblies.
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