Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-03-08
of food.

| right to- and now demands, law under
which he can make Intelligent selection
of food.
Many pure food bills have been intro
duced and some passed by State legisla-
lures; many have been offered to Con-
gress but all thus far seem Objectionable.
1t has seemed difficult for politicians to
formulate a satisfactory bill that would
protect the common people and yet avoid
harm to honest makers and prevent end
less trouble to retailers. No govt COM
mission or officer has the right to fix
food standards" to define what the peo-
pie eshall and shall not eat, for what agrees
with one may not agree with another and
such act would deprive the common
citizen of his personal liberty. The
Postum Cereal Co., Ltd, perhaps the
largest makers of prepared foods in the
world, have naturally close knowledge
of the needs of the people and the details
of the business of the purVeyorS, (the
retail grocer) and, guided by this expert
ence have prepared a bill for submission
to Congress which is intended to accom-
plish the desired ends, and inasmuch as a
citizen of the u. S. has a right to food
protection even when he enters another
State it is deemed proper tnat the govt
take control of this matter and provide
national law TO govern all the states.
copy of the bill is herewith reproduced
Sec l governs the maker whether the
food is put up in small packages sealed,
or in barrels, boxes or otherwise.
Sec. governs the retailer who may
open a barrel and sell the food in
small quantities. When he puts the
goods into paper bag he must also
enclose a printed copy of the statement
of the maker which was affixed to the
original pkg. and inasmuch as the
reailer cannot undertake to guarantee
the statement of ingredients he must
publish the statement of the makers
and add his own name and address as a
guarantee of his selling the food as it is
represented to him which relieves the
retailer of responsibility of the truth of
the statement and throws it upon the
maker, where it properly belongs.
The remaining sections explain them
selves.
The Postum Cereal Co., Ltd, for ex-
ample, have from the beginning of its
existence printed on the outside of each
and every pkg. of Postum and Grape
Nuts food truthful and exact statement
of what the contents were made of in or
cisely what he or she was eating. A per-
son desiring to buy, for instance, strictly
pure fruit jelly and willing to pay the
price has right to expect not only an
eQuivalentforth the cost but further right
to certainty as to what he eats. Or he
may be willing to buy at less cost a jelly
made part of fruit juices. sugar and a
portion of glucose. But he must be sup
piled with truthful Information Of the
ingredients and be permitted to use his
personal liberty to select his own food
accurately.
The people have allowed the slow mur-
der of infants and adults, by tricky
makers of food, drink and drugs to go on
about long enough. Duty to oneself,
family and nation demands that every
man and woman join in an organized
movement to clear our people from this
blight. You may not be able to go per-
sonally to Washington to impress your
congressman, but you can, in a most ef-
fective way tell him by letter how You
desire him to represent you.
Remember the Congressman is In Con-
eress to represent the people from his
district and If a goodly number of citi-
Zens express their views to him. he Sc
cures very sure guide to duty. Remem-
ber also that the safety of the people is
assured by insisting that the will of the
people be carried out, and not the ma
chinations of the few for selfish inter-
eSts.
This pure food legislation is n pure
movement of the people for public pro-
lection. 1t will be opposed only by those
who fatten their pockets by deceiying
and injuring the people. Therefore. If |
your Representative in Congress evades
his patriotic duty hold him to strict ac-
countability and II necessary demand
equitable and honest service. This is a
very different condition than when a fac
ton ndemandsclassleg legislationo of the Con
gresham. Several years ago the butter
Interests of the country demanded legis- f.
lation TO Kill the oleOmargarine Industry
and by power of organization forced
class Legislation really unworthy of n
free people. Work people wanted beef
euet butter because II was cheap and bet
ter than much unclean milk butter. but
the dairy Interests organized and forced
the legislation. The law should have
provided that pkEs. OF uleumarearinc
Dear the statement OF Ingredients and
lhcn lee people who desire purchase il for
Just what e ia, and not Try to XIII II bya
htaNy tax. Manufacturers sometimes
WY tb tufcr measures iu their own inter /
rHa but contrary "a the interests Df the .
people and The labor trust O. always ar.. .
i've lo push ihrauFA bills drafted la tho +
interest ut that trust but directly eta.
Nafy to the Interests uf TIE people ~ "a .