Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-27
OPPOSE FOOD LAW
WHOLESALE aRocERs OF ioWG
AND NEBRASKA TO HOLD CON.
FERENCE IN DIES MONIES

The prospect Of securing pure food
Legislation in Iowa this winter will BID
one of the subjects considered at
special meeting of the Iowa Nebraslsa
Wholesale Grocers' association now
being held in Des Moines. Samuel Ma
hon OF Ottumwa is president Of the ON
gan1zatton and is present at tho
meeting. A Des Moines paper has thd
following regarding the stand Of tho
grocers on the pure food legislation:
incidentally, as many Of the mems
bers of the general assembly MS posi-
sible will be acquainted with the fact
that the association is opposed til
legislation of this sort at this time on
the ground that 1t will put them at q
disadvantage in competing with out@
l'side wholesalers. A large attendancS
is expected Of jobbers from all seo+
tions of the state
+ 1t is interesting that the wholesale
grocers declare that they favor nation
al pure food legislation, although they
are fighting the ENACTMENT of state
laws law along taene; - :. explain si,l ain
rh f ateilaae Viii elll 6sea si1S
that national legislation would affect
all jobbers alike whether doing bust
ness in one state or another, while
legislation In Iowa alone would work
to the disadvantage Of Iowa jobbers
when in competition with outside deal
ers. The Nebraska dealers are CO.
operating with the, Iowa dealers for
the reason that defeat Of the move.
ment in Iowa will make 1t easier to
defeat it In Nebraska when 1t comes
up. as is expected.
The Possible Harm.
"The wholesale grocers think that
their business would suffer especially
from the inroads Of catalogue houses
If they were barred from handling cers
tain lines of goods The mail order es-
Establishments operating from Chicago
and other large centers. work under
interstate commerce, which state
laws cannot touch. They could con.
tinue supplying goods Of any kind, the
Jobbers point out, while Iowa mer-
chants would have to conf1ne their
trade to the better and consequently
the higher priced lines. They would
not be able to compete in the cheaper
grades--cheap because adulterated-@
which make up an enormous volume
of business.
'On the other hand 1t Is urged that
congressional legislation would apply
to all sections Of the country and no
one would have any advantage, for ev-
erybody would be amenable to the
same laws. This is what the jobbers
declare they favor. The Responsible
ity for adulterated foods would then
be placed on the manufacturer where
they think it belongs.
Secure Better Contracts.
1.-THE fight which the wholesale gro-
GERS have been waging to secure bet
ter form Of contracts with canning
manufacturers is virtually won, though
no formal agreement has gone into eff
feet. Heretofore, the Gamers were
not particular about filing orders, es.
pecially when prices went up, and job
bers often had to buy on a high mar
ket In order to- supply their own GUS
toners. An unsuccessful effort was
made last year to remedy this situa-
ton by adopting uniform contract
which required the Gamers to guaran-
tee delivery OF reimburse the jobbers
for extra outlay due to rising prices.
The Gamers did notrgive their consent
but instructions were sent out to all
members Of the wholesale grocers' as
ISOLATION to use the prescribed form
and refuse to sign any other. This d.
rection was generally followed. The
Gamers have yielded the point and in
future will be held responsible for de.
livery up to 80 per cent of the orders
they take"