Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-27
PURE FOOD BILL
is DISCUSSED
Senator Hepburn's Proposed Measure
Which is Now Before Upper House
Of Congress Contains New Features
Unity Of House on Rate Bill Sur
prises Observers In Washington.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Washington Bureau Of the Courier,

washington, ". u, January 20.
Congressman Hepburn was at the
White House until late yesterday aft
ernoon and was heartily congratulated
by the President upon his skill and
tact In obtaining unanimous agree
ment on the rate bill, which the Pres
ident declares Is fully satisfactory and
in accordance with his desires. Speak
er Cannon says he never before has
known a case Of a unanimous report
on a bill Of such Importance.
Col. Hepburn will report the bill on
Friday and 1t will be debated probably
five days and go to the senate about
February 4. Not an opposing vote in
the house is expected. The bill is the
Dolliver bill with few unimportant
changes in phraseology.
Pure Food Hills.
The mouse committee on interstate
and foreign commerce, to which all
bills relating to purity of foods, drugs
and beverages are referred by the
house for consideration, will not take
up the bills already introduced on that
subject until February 13 and it is
said that the Hepburn bill will almost
certainly be reported favorably to the
house shortly thereafter.
In the senate the Hepburn pure food
bill was favorably reported by Sena-
tor Hepburn from the senate commit
tee on manufactures on December IA,
and no further action was taken until
after the Christmas holidays.
On january 10 Senator Hepburn
called up the bill in the senate as the
regular order on the calendar. After
an explanation of its provisions in
brief, he called particular attention to
section 2, on page 8 Of the bill, readfng
as follows: "That in the case of any
violation of the provisions of the fore.
going two sections by any corporation
the fines and penalties imposed there
for may be enforced against the Off.
GERS of such corporation personally re-
sponsible for such violation, and any
violation Of any Of the provisions OF
this act by any corporation shall be
deemed to be the act of the officer OF
such corporation directly responsible
therefor and such officer may be pun
ished for such violation as though
such officer"
A New Feature. Il
In/explanation Of this, Mr.. Hepburn
said that this section is new feature
in bills of this kind 1t was intended
to obviate the possibility of escape by
the officers Of corporation under q
plea which has been more than once
made, that they did not know that this
was being done on the credit Of or the
responsibility of the corporation.
There is another innovation, OF
rather new feature, in the beginning
Of section 3, which provides a differ
ent method for the collection of speci
mems from which to make determin
alton as to the character of the article
Heretofore it was provided that this
should be done under rules and regula
tions made by the secretary Of agricul
ture; but, it was found, as a practica
matter, that the secretary of agricul
ture cannot make and enforce rules II
the other coordinate bureaus of the
government. So it is provided here
"That the secretary of the treasury
the secretary of agriculture, and the
secretary OF commerce and labor shall
make uniform rules and regulations
for the collection and examination o.
specimens of foods, drugs, medicines
and liquors manufactured Or Offered
for sale in the District Of Columbia, o.
in any other distrist, territory. or in
sular possession of the United States
| or which shall be offered for sale, etc.
7