The San Francisco call., 1906-06-23
TILT IN HOUSE
OVER FOOD BILL
Cochran and Sullivan of
Massachusetts, in
Irate Mood.
New York Congressman
Digs Up Insurance
Scandal.

WASHINGTON, June 22-Speaker
Cannon, in announcing that the House
was in committee of the whole today
for the further consideration of the
pure food bill, was so emphatic in his
physical demonstration with the gavel
that the head flew off and rolled among
the clerks at the Speakers table
After the approval of the journal the
House at once plunged into debate on
the pure food bill, Adamson of Georgia
opening the discussion in opposition
to certain features of the bill.
Discussing the fifteenth section Adj
amson said:
"It is the first authoritative legisla-
tive administrative declaration on the
subject. that the term Territory as
used in this act shall include the in
sular possessions of the United States
That settles the question. But If they
are right about 1t, instead of being
pure food law, they will find 1t will
rise up to curse them in the shape of
very impure piece of legislation, which
to be consistent will require them to
ask for delegate from the Territories
in the Philippine Islands,"
Adamson did not mean to say that
all food egislation was vicious, but he
empha tically stated that such was true
of some of the legislation contained In
the bill.
INlCldIQsOI VI ALABAMA said he was
a profound believer in pure food. but
he would like to have the bill amended
in some respects. He argued that 1t
was easy for the Gamer to separate
his f1rsts from his seconds, and he
wanted to know what objection there
was to such a proposition.
He then discussed gensrally the pro-
visions of the bottled-in-bond act, and
stated that at proper time he would
irtr
certain words In the section
During the speech of CONGRESSMAN
Adamson there was a heated colloauy
between Cochran of New York and Sui
livan of Massachusetts,. Sullivan sun
ported Adamson in his contention that
the State had ample power to enforce
pure food regulations. He cited the
pure food laws of Massachusetts, evinc-
ing the desire of Legislatures to take
care of the question along their own
lines.
Cochran called attention to the case
of Illinois, where it had a law relating
to the inspection of slaughter-houses.
but which had deliberately permitted
the circulation in other States of food
products dangerous to public health.
and then asked:
Is there no law In the Federal Gov
ernment to save the people of the other
Sullivan. replying, said:
II remember not long ago that the
gentleman from New York stood on
this floor and asked the taxing power
of this nation to be exerted in order to
prevent abuses in insurance upon the
theory that the sovereign State did not
have sufficient power and virtue to deal
with those abuses. And since that
speech the great State of New York has
acted. and its Legislature has vindi-
Gated the wisdom and virtue OF Its peo-
pie by regulating those abuses to the
satisfaction of everybody"
This remark evidently did not please
Cochran. With voice pitched high and
with intense gestures, he replied:
~ hen any action of a State, whether
1t be permissive or directory, empowers
a citizen of 1t to affect the condition of
people in another State by circulating
in the channels of commerce anything
dangerous to their health and to their
welfare. there is no excuse for the ex-
istence of a Federal Government If that
does not prevent the precise condition
1t must step in and say, All the powers
Of the State you may use as you please
inside your own borders, but you must
use them with due regard to the rights
OF others when anything sanctioned by
your laws passes beyond your border
and affects their daily lives CAP
plause.) Now, Mr.. Chairman, one mo-
ment with reference to the question
about the great State of New York. I
did say that the taxing power OF this
Government ought to be exercised so
as to limit insurance to each State as
savings banks are regulated. and. as a
matter of fact, when the gentleman
says the great State of New York has
dealt with the insurance frauds, I will
tell him how 1t has dealt with them. 1t
has confirmed the hold of the thieves
on the funds that they have been plum
dering. Today the inefficient heads who
were dismissed because they were in
efficient are replaced by subtle tools OF
the same gang that worked all the in
fanny" (Applause.)