Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-06-30

iiN"nui' paragraph ~ nnCbIHoTditu III
and is insisted upon by the trainers Of
a purefood bill There is no public
clamor for it, either in the press or by
petitions to this body. There is even
no ordinary demand for it, so far as !
know. Ii could not subserve the pur-
pose of preserving the purity Of food
Indeed, il threatens to overload the
whole structure of the bill and To topplc
it over into the slough of defeat.
II do not believe the proposcrs there
Of seek to impose additional burdens on
the agricultural and piscatorial classes
of our people, but they certainly will il
this provision is adopted 1t requires
them. directly and indirectly. to pur-
chase labels, weights and measures and
to employ additional labor. Are they
not already sufficiently taxed? Does
not Congress mulct ample tribute from
them by levying tariff duties on their
clothing. their food. their implements ?
Does Congress not exact enough from
them through its internal revenue tax
on the grain and tobacco products Of
the land?"
DESTROYS TRADEMARK VALUES.
The law tends to destroy the values
Of individual labels and packages which
now have recognized standing among
consumers, and the copyright of special
designs now possessing large none
tary value would he destroyed without
any corresponding benefit to either
manufacturer of consumer. Such a
provision is not a part properly of u
pure-food law, so far as il concerns the
canning industry, for which speak.
and is unnecessary. rs the goods are
sold at given price per can or contain
cr, and not by weight or bulk; nor is
any claim made by the packer to the
consumer for weight or bulk. The Ian
guage of subdivision (page q of the
bilD in itself fully protects the pur-
chaser from fraud or deception in all
respects, weight and measure included.
by prohibiting any labels. false or mis-
leading in any particular.
''The goods being neither sold nor
bought by weight or measure. the only
thing that does enter vitally into the
purchase or sale is the number of the
can and the quality of the goods Since
therefore, there is no benefit to be
derived by the grower. packer, dealer
or consumer from the operation of sub
section 3 of Section of the bill, and
since it would entail An increased price
to the consumer and useless added ex-
pcnse to the packer. as well as a prac-
tical paralysis of Legitimate business,
and no good of any kind or character
can possibly he produced by it. SO far
as this vast industry of canning fruits
and vegetables is concerned shall ask
that lines 3, 1 and on page II be
stricken from the bill. 4"
FEARS HARMFUL MEASURE.
Mr. Gill declared he was heartily in
favor of pure food legislation, but Con
gress should not permit itself. under
the hysteria of the moment, " to "enact
imperfect measures which may be
fraught with greater harm to our true
interests than the evils we are seeking
to remedy" He opposed the Com
mitteeocracy" method of legislation, of
which he considered the Pure Food bill
striking manifestation. Mr.. Gill CON
tinued
''By seeking to compel person who
manufactures for shipment or exposes
for sale any drug or article of food to
furnish "A sample thereof to an agent
of the Government. which sample
might furnish the basis of criminal
prosecution against him Congress is
trying to trench on the police powers
of the State.
This imperfection. however, is not
the only one in this bill. In my Judge
ment, the House committee has serious
ly weakened the Senate measure by its
attempt to Incorporated in this bill an
imperfect provision safeguarding fair
trade by weight and measure. Certain
ly. fair trade by weight and measure is
not germane to pure food. The para
graph by which it starts to safeguard
fair trade by weight and measure fails
utterly 10 do so. 1t reads as follows
In the Case of Food If in package
form. a quantity of the contents of the
package be not clearly and correctly
stated in terms of weight and measure
on the outside Of the package. il shall
he deemed misbranded
- 4. a.