Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-17
HEARINGS IN new YORK
Commissioners Representing Three
Government Departments.
RIGOROUS ADMIN1sTRAT
Will Be Advised-Imported Articles
of Food Stuffs May Be Made to Pro-
claim Their True Character.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


A commission, composed of three officials
of the national government, Is now at work
in Washington passing upon the future
prosperity of an import trade Into the
United States that is valued at more than
two billions of dollars year.
That is a stupendous sum, but 1t does not
approach the far greater and practically in
calculable value of production and con-
sumption of domestic articles that may be
affected by the action of these three men,
1t may be that the values will be anected
favorably, through an increase OF con-
sumption caused by greater faith on the
part OF the buyers. 1t is hoped that the
health of the entire nation, Of its children
and it's children's children will be benefited,
which will be of far greater value to hui
mainly than any commercial consideration.
New Pure Food Law.
1t is the new pure food law and the rules
of its administration that these three men
are considering. They are giving In New
York this week, beginning Monday, in the
rooms Of the board of trade and transporta-
ton, series of public hearings to import
ers and domestic manufacturers of food
products, upon the probable results to In
dustry, commerce and health OF the regula-
lions to administer the new act, which goes
into effect next New Year day.
The domestic makers of food and drugs
for the new law is intended to compel purity
in both-are generally familiar with its
provisions. for the act has been under dis
cussion many years But it is the importers
and consumers of foreign food products who
are just lightning to awaken to the possible
bearing upon their personal comforts and
habitual 1uxuries of the new law. Students
of our foreign trade statistics are also won
dering whether a drastic construction of the
act may not lead to. reprisals in foreign
a ha nj fod
States. and whether the pure food law can
not be made an effective lever In bringing
about treaties of reciprocity that may
change vastly our foreign markets
The new law provides that the Secretary
Of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agricui-
ture and the Secretary of Commerce and
Labor shall make uniform rules and regu-
iations for carrying out the provisions >of
this act"
These three heads of departments have
each designated commissioner to recon-
are the men whose conclusions may affect
the trend of billions of dollars worth of
commerce and the comfort and health of
millions of people: DR.. Harvey w. Wiley,
ment of Agriculture chairman; s. N D.
North, director of the census, Department
or Commerce and Labor; James l., Gerry
ment.
1t will be observed that these men are
the representatives OF the heads of the
three executive departments. These COM
missioners have no powers of their own
But there is no doubt that their report
based upon the testimony they are now
receiving, will have great weight with the
three members of the cabinet who are
authorized to promulgate the new reguIa-
lions.
Interest in the Hearings.
There is very human interest in these
hearings-an interest that reaches to the
dinner table of almost every citizen of
foreign birth, as well as to every con-
sumner of imported food. The vital cues
ton that these commissioners are to de-
eide Is whether the regulations they pre-
scribe to prevent aduteration or misbrand-
Ing OF domestic food sold in the United
states shall apply to the inspection in the
countries of its origin. to foreign food in
tended for importation into the United
States.
In other words, must the maker of a
Westphalian ham or Of some brand of
German sausage or Of goose breast or Bo-
logna sausage, or Of French pate de foie
gras, or of Italian maccaroni or cheese, be
suo1ected 10 the same examination and
approval Of his goods, before they are ad-
mitted for sale In this country, as the
American maker for American consumption
must accept?
There is vast apprehension about the
answer to this question. The interests con-
cerned are both enormous and Intimately
gustatory.
The consumption of imported ham and
Bologna sausage and goose breast in the
United States may not be enormous and
duties upon those particular articles may
not cut very considerable figure in the
revenue from customs; but these articles
have a very tender relation to the af-
fectfonate tastes of their customers Imag-
Inc a Bostonian in Philadelphia deprived
by some Pennsylvania law of his Sunday
Philadelphia in Boston debarred by a
bay state edict of his beloved scrapple,
and you may conjecture the dismay of the
German-American at the prospect that the
new lay may cut or his accustomed in
diligence in delicattessen from the fater-
land. But this is the very prospect ahead,
for citizens whose tastes are German
French. Italian. Spanish. Hungarian or
Russian. The steward of the well-stocked
larder of the wealthiest American of foreign
origin may sympathize with the dsmay Of
every caterer to the cheapest table d hote
Rigorous Administration Of the Law.
1t is assumed that while the three COM
missioners are listening to the importers of
foreign food products at their hearings in
New York they intend to advise a rigorous
administration Of the law. There is
curious clause in the act that an Amer
lean may export provisions when no sub
stance Is used in the preparation or pack
ing thereof in conflict with the laws of the
foreign country to which said article Ifs in
j
fall under the ban Of the regulations that
these three commissioners are framing it
cannot be offered for sale in the United
States-that is. If the French or German
or English inspection is more lenient than
that Of the United States the American pro-
Queer may sell there, but he must not sell
to his own countrymen under penalty Of
fine and imprisonment.
The pure food act may be made to apply
to an enormous column of imports, as is
seen by glance at the following table,
which sets forth the value of foOdstuffs that
other countries sent to the United States
during the first seven months Of 1906:
Sage md tapioca OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $5lS,178
Maccaroni, yermicelh, etc. 1.y02, 1S9
Total breadstuffs ,.................. 2, BOG, 207
(,ocoa OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5, 400, 754
(,06fee ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SO, O76, 500
flsn.
ana nuts. tlOroVo
Meat products EXTRACTS, etc .......... 404, $50
Cheeses Observation-Disclosures. 2. 446, 101
Rice Observation-Disclosures. 2, 1873, 572
Spices Observation-Disclosures. 2, sol, 766
Wines, spirits and malt liquors. 10, $40, SS7
Sugar so. 755, 939
Vegetables (pickes. etc., ............. 2,95O,555
All Susceptible Of Adulteration. J.
Nearly all the articles here named huge