The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-01

Of food.
duced and some passed by state legis-
Iatures; 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
vet avaid harm to honest makers and
prevent endless trouble to retailers NO
government commission or officer mas
the right to fix food standards to de-
fine what the people shall and shall not
eat for what agrees with one may not
agree with another and such act would
deprive the common citizen or MS per
sonal liberty. The Postum cereal Co.,
I'd perhaps the largest makers OF pre-
pared foods in the world, have naturally
a close knowledge OF the needs or the
people and the details of the business OF
the purveyors, (the retail groeer) and,
guided by this experience have prepared
a bill for submission to congress which
is intended to accomplish the desired
ends and inasmuch as citizen OF the
U. s. has a right to food protection even
when he enters another state II is DEEM
ed proper that the government take con-
troll Of this matter and provide nation
al law to govern all the states A copy
of the bill is herewith reproduced.
Sec governs the maker whether the
food is put up in small packages sealed
or In barrels, boxes or otherwise.
Sec. 2 governs the retailer who may
ooen a barrel and sell the food in small
quantities. When he puts the goods INTO
a paper bag he must also enclose q
r,rinted COPY OF the statement OF the
maker which was aff1xed to the original
pkg. and inasmuch as the retailer can
not undertake to guarantee the stale-
unent of ingredients he must puphsn the
statement Of the makers and ada ms
own name and address as guarantee
Of his selling the food as II is represent
ed to him which relieves the retailer q
responsibility Of the truth of the state
ment and throws it upon the maker
where it properly belongs
The remaining sections explain theIh-
The Postum Cereal co. Ltd. for ex-
ample, have from the beginning OF lts
existence printed on the outside OF each
and every pkg. Of Postum and Grape
N4fs food a truthful and exact state
naenr of what the contents were mace O.
In order that the consumer might know
precisely what he or she was eaIlng- a
Derson desiring to buy, for instance,
etrictIv nIlre fruit Jelly and willing to
pay the price has a right to expect not
oniv an equivalent for the cost but
further right to q certainty as TO WnaL
he eats. Or he may be willing to buy
at less cost d jelly made part OF IIult
Juices. sugar and a portion OF glucose
But he must be supplied with trutafu u
INFORMATION Of the ingredients and be
permitted to use his personal liberty to
select his own food aeeurately-
The people have allowed the slow muir
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 most ef-
fective way tell him by letter how you
desire him to represent you.