The Washington herald., 1907-05-03

restoration of genuine Jamaica rum 10
ness in five years. and in the same period
the output Of alleged jamaica rum IN the
markets of the world was enormously in
creased. This rum was sold everywhere
as the product Of the little island, but
bore as much relation to Jamaica as the
German potato. the French grain, and
the American maize, from which the
ethyl alcohol was distilled bears TO the
sugar cane Of the West Indies.
The traders found that the rum could
be made on the banks of the Thames or
the Seine or the Ohio IN fifteen minutes
by the judicious admiXture of neutral
spirits, essence of rum and burnt sugar.
The earthquake has caused a temporary
cessation Of plans for the restoration OF
Jamaica's trade in this particular, but
there is a strong movement 90 induce the
British parliament 70 do something 20
protect this cOlOnys valuable product
from imitation. To this end the local gov
eTnment Of the island sent special COM
missioner 10 London to prosecute the
imitators Of the rum This commission
er has already obtained many convictions
in the courts OF the United Kingdom and
other cases are being vigorously prose-
euted
Portugal is endeavoring to protect the
name Of its famous port wines from imi-
tatOrs to be found in every country in
the world. but this is a work OF more
than ordinary difficulties. The Portu-
gese have enacted a law. however. which
limit the use OF the name port" to wines
Of the Douro, shipped from the Bar of
0portO and by operation Of this law, the
importer may be sure that he is getting
what he is paying for.
The Russian government controls the
manufacture and sale Of its national
drink. the fiery vodka. The penalty for
adulterstion of vodka is fifteen years in
Siberia. perhaps the most stringent of
all anti-adulteration regulations. In the
Netherlands, where the famous Holland
sin IS made, the bottles are sealed by
municipal label, which serves to ideuti-
fy the genuine article. New Zealand IS
now considering the enactment of a stat
ute which viii require a complete for
mula of ali liquors imported from other
countries 10 be displayed on the package
The Cape Colony has enacted a law 20
prevent the Importation of adulterated
liquors. except those travelling under their
true cOlOrs.
Germany stands foremost in the protec-
ton Of the purity OF beers, and the gov
eTnment gives lessons in chemistry to
the excise officers. In Australia the anti
adulteratiOn movement has progressed
rapidly. The chief chemist of the con-
federation reported that 80 per cent Of
the whisky on the market was merely
neutral spirits eoIored and favored 20 i'm
itate whisky, or having only a small per
centage of real whisky in it, Two pure
food laws resulted from this movement.
one OF which is very TigOTus. CeTtifi-
Gates of purity and oriSin must accom-
pany liquors imported from other coun-
tries. There is also "a guarantee stamp
for domestic liquors.
The whole object of this movement,
all over the world is not so much to i'm
press the public with the superiority Of
the genuine article. as to compel a liquor
maker to offer his goods for sale under
label that tells the truth about what
is in the package
TO-mOrrOw-WoFk OF the Weather
Bureau.