Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-15
CONGRESS AND WHISKY.

1t is not to be expected tnat the
government would find itself in league
with the whisky interests and against
the forces of temperance, and this is
not Intentionally the case, but In the
work for which he is employed, Or.
Harvey w Wiley. the expert chemist
Of the department of agriculture, has
Heen fit to recommend the passage OF
a bill providing for pure alcoholic
drinks. The bill is one that is being
pushed by the liquor interests through.
out the cour y and opposed just as
strongly by the temperance forces
DR.. Wiley declares, and backs his
statements with personal experience
stories, that the people are injured
more by the use Of impure beverages
than by real whisky OF truly alco-
holic nature.
DR.. Wiley was before the house
committee at Washington on ways
and means few days ago and created
something Of a sensation by declar-
ing that fusel oil, always regarded
as a poison, is in reality a pleasant
drink" He was speaking to the COM
mittee with regard to the proposition
to remove the tax from alcohol when
rendered unfit for drinking purposes
and used in arts and sciences. This
bill, the liquor interests declare, will
result in serving fewer impure drinks
if the government does It's part to en-
force the proposed law. DR.. Wiley
also takes the same stand, apparently.
Before the committee he treated the
congressman to dissertation on
whisky. highly recommending that
which is bottled-in-bond AS DR.. Wi
lev has devoted much of his time, his
enemies say most Of 1t, to investigat-
ing the subject Of whisky, having
spent all last summer abroad for that
purpose. his recommendation of bot
tled-in-bond whisky made a. favorable
Impression on the committee as com
ing from an expert He declared he
was "a temperance man" but that he
considered prohibitionfst "a very in
temperate man" The question of
the toxic properties CT fusel oil came
I'D while DR.. Wiley was discussing the
various alcohols produced by the dis
tillation Of grain.
''Then fusel oil is an alcohol"
asked Chairman Payne, eyes, it is
amyl alcohol" responded DR.. Wiley.
.Fusel oil is very poisonous is 1t not"
continued Mr.. Payne. ooh. fusel oil
is not SO deadly" replied DR.. Wiley,
scornfully. II always understood 1t
was poison" said the chairman, in
terested in pursuing the subject.
.PThat is a mistake" emphatically de-
clared the government food expert
at is really rather pleasant drink. .
Continuing, DR.. Wiley testified that on
one occasion when he was in saloon
in a low part Of Washington, in a
quarter where millionaires do not
i've" and explained purely to pursue
my investigations" he saw workman
get a glass of alleged whisky with q
glass Of beer for chaser" for the
sum Of five cents. He did not think
the drink was really whisky" "The
only way to be sure Of getting proof
whisky" he said, sis to get bottled-in.
bond whisky out Of unopened bottles
He made strong plea for the passage
of the bill, mentioning that the pro
ducers Of straight" whisky, or bot
tled-in-bond goods, were practically
bankrupt.
Representative Payne and Dalzell
brought out the fact that the distil
lers and the liquor journals were sup
porting the bill as a step in the direc
ton Of urtaxed alcohol for drinking
purposes. They also mentioned that
they had received number of letters
from temperance people who believed
the proposition would lead to In
m,aaaed Drunkenness. Dr. WILEY ad