Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-04
PURE FOOD Bill,
10 Be introduced in Sem
ate BY Hepburn Of Idaho.
Provides !||Id1eess for ! Pure :. Foods With.
.::4aout DeIsteIious Matter,
Also Provides for Fine Of $500 for Laws
vVio|a'ios.- "rsgs Included,

Washington, Dec. 3.-Feder.1 ILL.,.
OF foods, drugs and Iiu,1ors for ,,,o Ioi
pos,' Oh securing their purity. is provid-
eu>,or In comprehensive bill to be in
i"uuceu Ill lhe Senate at an early dat
ny Senator Hepburn of Idaho. Juriedis
tlon OF the government over these a.
tlcles Is declared i'm the measure vha.,
they become articles of intervt,to
foreign commerce and a penalty "
maximum fine Of $500 and one vo,r,s
imprisonment is provided for yiola,orr
Vi the regulations set forth.
IL is made unlawful TO sell or man,
Iacture any article of food, drugs mod
lclhes or liquors which IS adultar.tad
or fhlsbranded or which contains o..
poisonous or deIeterious substance IT,,
terms prohibit the introduction int ~
ohiteo states or its insular possessions
from foreign country of foods. drugs
ana liquors which are not pure or ara
lnlshranded
10 ascertain the purity Of foods
drugs and liquors. both Of foreign mi
domestic manufacture. jurisdiction 10
given TO the secretaries of the treasury
OF agriculture and of commerce and n,
Dor 10 prescribe uniform rules for tbo
examination of foods, drugs and IL
quors. such examination to me mada
by the bureau of chemistry of the do
Partmcnt of agriculture. In case an ar
tlcic is found upon examination to he
adulterated, notice is 10 oe riyen ~
the party from which the article vac
OBTAINED by the secretary of agriculture
anq hearing arranged for. Should The
nearing develop that the provisions Of
the bill have been violated the secre-
tary of agriculture is at once to certify
the facts to the proper United States
district attorney
1t is made the duty of each district
attorney TO whom the secretary of agrj
culture shall report any violation of the
provisions Of the bill, or to whom any
health office: Of q state. territory. the
insular possessions or the District Of
Columbia shall present satisfactory ev-
ldence Of such violation, to prosecute
without delay iii the proper courts of
the United States for the recovery of
the fines and enforcement of the penal
ties.
1t is also provided that no dealer can
be convicted under the terms of the bin
F,hen rihl}ea rcbRbnsstablisbsnal guarantee
signed by the wholesaler, jobber. man.
ufacturer or other party residing in the
United States from whom ne pur-
chased the articles. to the effect that
the article is not adulterated or mis-
branded within the meaning of the pro-
posed act.
1t is made a misdemeanor to refuse to
sell samples to agents of the govern
ment. Process of libel is provided where
impure articles are seized in transit or
where they are on sale in unbroken
packages, the result of which may be
an order of the court for the destruc-
ton or sale of the goods. Provision is
made in such case that. upon payment
of the cost of the proceeding and the
furnishing of a bond that the gools
shall not be disposed of contrary to law.
tie owner may obtain possession.
The measure is not to be construed TO
interfere with commerce wholly with
in state. nor with the exercise of tn
police powers of the several states.
The measure defines what shall con-
Stitute misbranding and adulteration in
the articles over which it assumes ju-
risdiction.