Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-20
: LO0KER.ON IN IOWA

Iowa Falls, Feb. 19.-As the pure
food bill will probably become a part
of the laws of Iowa, before this letter
is in print, what follows is no attempt
/ to influence legislation. Merely to
notice some present conditions. Some
time ago the writer had long talk
with an Iowa manufacturer of temper
ance drinks. Much to the surprise of
the writer the pop manufactures favor
ed the Iowa proposed pure food law,
for the reason 1t will drive out of bus
mess here in Iowa some of his Compel
itors doing business in the state, and
at the same time prevent the sale OF
these temperance drinks manufactured
in the states adjoining Iowa, that is,
unless they comply with the provisions
of the Iowa law He frankly admitted
th..t the stuff made and sold in Iowa
today is the worst possible liquid to
nut into the human stomach: admitted
that nearly all of the flavoring ex-
tracts were products of petroleum,
and that glucose and various acids
were generally used. And here was
another startling admission: That 1t is
impossible for any manufacturer of
temperance drinks in Iowa to ship into
Minnesota where they have a pure food
law, any of the stuff manufactured for
sale in Iowa. He also claims to know
that the brewers are using Iowa for
the dumping ground of quality of
beer, impossible to sell elsewhere.
What the distillers are doing in the
line of liquors sold by their travelling
] agents in Iowa, this to consumers to be
sent c. O. D., he says is even worse
than his manufactured temperance
drinks, for while his stuff only makes
EN- sick, the distillers' c. 0. d. stuff
not only kills, but frequently makes
murderers of those using it. He asked
| and the writer could not answer 1t
supposing this new law goes into eff
/ feet. and some restaurant man makes
ice cream out of milk. corn starch,
eggs and sugar, adding some OF the
1 various powders now advertised ana
/ sold for the purpose OF making ice
cream, without cream. What are you
4 going to do about it? OF course sucn
a restaurant man can flavor 1t with
/ any old thing but where does the pub
\ lie get protection? Perhaps when the
law is finally passed some provision
| will be found to cover this suppositious
case Since the announced discovery
of formaldehyde in bulk oysters sold IN
Des Moines, there is much talk of COM
| pelling our dealers to again handle
fresh oysters In tin cans packed IN
ice. as was the general method of sale
ten wears ago. Iowa people Will hght
shy of bulk oysters for wheat
least till they forget the Des MONIES
disclosures.
A few years ago, when the Iowa rail-
roads were building so many branch
lines in this state and incidentally
..mal,inpv so many new towns, it was
nointed out in this column that some
body would get hurt. That new Town
eight miles from three or four otner
sn,aIl towns. would not make any
more trade in that country. That If
farmer bought his coal in Newtown he
wouldn't buy it in Oldtown. That II
a new store in Nextown sold $zo'ooo
wear. some of the other towns In that
locality would sell so many dollars
worth less of merchandise. To this has
been added an unexpected feature Oh d
ilessening of the population IN ana
about the small towns. The famlies
of Iowa people that have moved TO
| Canada. the IJdkOldS, ANiHhSs'Cses' 80
kansas and Missouri, have not been re-
placed by families of equal size that
come in to take their places. SO that
in many small towns are now found
vacant stores In one town not long
ago. a double front, forty foot store.
two story, with good finished cellar ana
plate glass front. was sold for $2'ooo.
1t cost $4,000 to build it. Other towns
have several unoccupied stores that
only a short time ago were rented
from $40 to $50 month. No ones
to blame, but some of these real estate
owners now wish they had Clipped In
to raise the money the railroad wanted
to come to Oldtown. They now wish
that those new towns were not located
so close to Oldtown. Meanwhile is
ANYBODY doing anything to get people
to come to Iowa to live? On the con-
trary are not our land agents still
working nights and Sundays to get
people to move out of the state?
Fl. - MSe~.fA-e-d