The Washington times., 1905-08-12
IMPURE FOOD MEN
ATTACKING WILSON
IN Hope Of Killing Pure
Food Bill.
LIQUOR INTEREST HOSTILE
Secretary of Agriculture Great Oppo-
nent of Frauds in Foodstuffs.
Swindlers Want His Scalp.
LIQUOR INTEREST HOSTILE

Wilson and the Department of Agricul-
ture have been SO violent in some quar-
ters OF late as TO lead to the BELIEF
they have not been aroused entirely by
the fact that certain officials In the de-
partment have been accused of graft.
a few powerful interests. it is asserted,
are responsible for much of the antago-
n1sm toward the department, and every
one connected herewith
Among these are the whisky interests.
certain importers Of foods in New York
and elsewhere. and gamblers in Wall
Street. who are opposed TO u Govern
ment crop report.
The antagonism Of the liquor interests,
and Of an element Of food importers and
manufacturers abroad. is an element to
which little attention has been given.
but which is decidedly interesting.
Fight Pure Food
1t springs from the same source, hos
til1ty toward Secretary Wilson and his
aides because of their activity in the
Gure food cause, an activity that is rap
Idly producing results and promises To
produce more.
II is yet fresh in mind that the pure
food bin in Congress last winter. a
measure that would have thrown into
the hands OF the department a powerful
weapon against vile concoctions for
drink and food, was beaten by the whis-
ky forces, This legislation viii be be-
fore Congress again this winter, and il is
charged that the liquor interests are al
ready busy, trying TO forestan il by
covert attempts to discredit the Depart
ment OF agriculture in every possible
manner
In order TO understand why some OF
the food importers are in arms against
Secretary Wilson and all connected with
him, something OF the operations OF the
present food inspection system deserve
TO be considered
Food Inspections.
Inspection of imported food products
has become a work OF large and effec-
tive scope. In the two years this in
spection has been under way 1t has
done wonders in the way of excluding
adulterated articles of food and drink
and in forcing the honest labelling OF
articles manufactured abroad and sent
over TO America for consumption
Over 100 shipments of food products
have been shut out of the country, and
the importers have been forced 10 take
them elsewhere than America for con-
sumption; several hundred shipments
have been found with misleading labels.
and their relabeling has been compelled
many more cases are now pending on
appeals. and what is OF more import
cnce importers have been forced 10
take cogniZance OF the law, and with
few exceptions they are now endeaVor-
ing TO bring into the United States only
such shipments OF food articles as are
legally entitled 10 admission
For some months shipments marked
for exclusion We're numerous, but III
later months they have been growing
more scarce. as importers have learned
the lesson of respecting the policy in
sisted on by the Department OF Agri-
culture.
System Permanent.
The system of inspection Of imported
foods. after much labor on the part
Of the head Of the Bureau of Chemistry. |
DIT. II. ". Wiley. and Dr.. w D, Bige-
low. Of The food laboratory Of the bu-
reau. backed up by Secretary Wilson, !
has at length, after various experiments /
and trials, been made permanent For |
the most part II is now run on the
lines that VIII hereafter be followed
A system has been evolved whereby /
the Government chemists can work IN (
harmony with the customs officers In I
eXpedittng the examination of foods 50 /
that there Will be the least possible /
delay 10 importers.
II was something over a year ago
that the chemists of the Department OF
Agriculture began studying the best
methods OF corporation with the Gus
toms IN food inspection and now these
methods are practically perfect.
Hew il Began.
The first laboratory for the inspection
OF food products TO be located at - lead
!I.g port was established at New York
about a year ago. THIS was Followed
by laboratories at san Francisco C.hIca-
go. and Boston.
Another laboratory will be opened at
Philadelphia within few days and this
VIII soon be followed by one III New
Orleans The yellow fever situation II
New Orleans has iuterfered with the
plans for that port and hlndered the es-
tabIishment of the laboratory TO some
extent
The probabilities are that these are
all the ports at which II Will be nee5cul
10 establish laboratories. They are the
principal ports for food impOrtatiOns.
Moreover, each laboratory is supposed
70 examine samples OF the food imports,
aot only for the port where IL is esta0-
lished. but Tor all the ports IN that re-
giOu. Thus the laboratory al San Fran
cisco examines food samples for all the
Pacific coast ports.
Utmost Precautions.
Under the system. as now arranged, (
imported food products must be passed
by the chief of the Government labora- :
tory before the customs examiner can
pass upon the shipment for liquidation
or duty. II, after taking q sample u a
shipment and passing on it. the chief
OF the laboratory notifies the Importer
that II is contrary 10 law, the shipment
is excluded. or, under conditions, relab- !
eled.
An appeal lies to Secretary Wilson
and. for the purpose or enabling the
matter 10 be passed on here. q sample /
Of each shipment examined IN each
laboratory IS forwarded to the labora-
tory here as soon as obtained
No end of evil practices IN the manu- /
facture and labelling Of articles OF food /
and drink have been discovered by the (
operation OF the present system. The /
use Of substances injurious 20 health /
or calculated 10 cheat the purchaser /
into buying goods Of inferior quality !
was found asIonishingly common.
For instance. il was found peanut oil /
sesmea oil. and cottonseed oil were be +
ing shipped in large quantities and sold +
as olive oil Glucose, cOlOring matter, /
and prescrVatipes were used in preserv- /
ing fruits
Liquor Swindles.
Preservatives were used in wines and /
other liquors, and cheap liquors were .
wrongly labeled and palmed of for ex-i
pensiye ones. Imported sausage was