Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-20
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE ]
Washington Bureau of Courier.
Washinoton. d. C.. Feb 10

Colonel Hepburn did not get much I
of respite from the strenuous labors
incident to the consideration and d
bate of the railroad rate bill r
house. The rate bill has bee
ceeded by the pure food bill VIII
now be considered for some y
having aaan decided to taken,N
Hepburn fsil. At sisss ssiss last haaS
Hepburn Sprung a mild S. n .s--es7a1s
suggesting that witnesses be-
sworn and give test stimony under oath.
He then called attention to the fact
that seven bills had been introduced
In the house for the purpose OF prov1d-
Ing federal Legislation against adul-
terated and impure food products and
that all these bills were now laid be-
fore the committee by reference from
the house. The committee immedi-
ately decidedSto take up for first CON
sideration the Hepburn bill introduced
last year by Col. Hepburn and passed
by the house. This bill he reintro-
duced early in the present congress.
Testimony being then called for BY
Chairman Hepburn, j. "A. Yerington,
chairman Of the National Food Manu-.
facturers' association, stated to the
committee that there were numbers
OF representatives Of different inter.
ests opposed to the Hepburn bill who
had been waiting for the appointment
OF time to appear and state their obs
Jections but that until yesterday he
had been unable to learn what the
committee intended to do. He had
telegraphed five of these representa-
tives who stand for about twenty-five
different food manufacturing interests.
and he expected them here within the
present week.
Iowa Man Testlfies.
Mr.. Yerington was informed by
Chairman Hepburn that the committee
would take the testimony OF these gen.
tlemen when they appear.
Judge William 2. Ballinger. presi.
dent of the Keokuk Gowa) Canning
company, asked that he be sworn az
an opponent Of the Hepburn bill at
least in SO far as 1t gives the authority.
to the bureau Of chemistry of the agri.
cultural department to carry the law
into effect.
Judge Ballinger stated that he was
the president Of the Keokuk Canning
company, which, In addition to canning
fruits and vegetables, puts up large
quantities of sweet pickles and catsup.
In the preparation of the former no
preservatiyes were necessary, but In
order to preserve sweet pickles and
catsups 1t was absolutely necessary to
use some prsseryative and he used
benzoate Of soda. The reason he OBJ.
jected to the Hepburn bill was that DR..
H. w. Wiley of the agricultural depart.
ment had declared against the use OF
benzoate Of soda, as being injurious
to health and this bill would.
he believed, put the power
to say whether such preserva.
tive should or should not be used
In the hands Of the doctor. Judge Bal.
linger said that, of course, If he were
convinced that the use Of benzoate Of
soda were detrimental to human life he
would not be willing to use 1t, but that
he considered the fact that forty three
states Of this union now permitted the
use Of this preservative under their
laws went far to disprove DR.. Wiley's
contention. Furthermore, In North Da.
kota, which ia at present the most ac.
tive in enforcing its pure food laws,
although benzoate Of soda Is one OF
the prohibited preservatives, yet the
food commissioner of that state permits
ted its use in catsups because he bes
lieved 1t TO be necessary for their pres.
ervation.
The witness estimated the value Of
the pickle and catsup industry of the
United States at from Sc 100000 to
's50.00o.000 per annum.