The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-12
RETAILERS ARE BEHIND MEASURE

OLYMPIA, Feb. IA pure food bill
has been introduced in the house by
Caches, Of Skagit In almost every
respect it conforms to the law enacted
by congress.
1t is generally conceded that every
class interested in its passage, jobbers,
retailers and consumers, is strongly in
favor of a law that will guarantee to
the public the purity of it's food But
it is on the third subsection of Section
of the bill that the wholesalers and
retailers cannot agree, and it is because
Of the vital Importance of this particu-
lar section that the clans of the hostile
camps are beginning to flock to Olym-
pia, the retailers to put their shoulders
to the wheel and push it through the
wholesalers with the avowed intention
of having the bone of contention cast
out into utter darkness. The consum-
ers, for whose benefit the contending
forces are lined up with such dissimil-
VI pun pose, W Ill SldIu Dy ana
hear the pros and cons, weigh the argu-
ments, and finally. through their rep
resentatives, the committee on COM
merce and manufacturing, to which is
branches of the legislature, step in and
decide which side will benefit it most
Which decision will not be easy to
reach, for if one is to heed the argu-
ments of both sides. the consumer
stands, as ever, between the devil and
the deep sea.
Net Weight on Package.
The third sub-sectiond of Section 4
reads:
IAN article shall be deemed mis-
branded if the package, bottle or con-
tainer shall not bear the true net weight
or net measure"
The proponents of the bill claim that
by having the net weights and meas
ures labelled on the package the con-
sumner will be protected: that he will
know, when he buys a three pound can
pounds. Invariably in the past, says
the retailers, these three-pound cans
have weighed two and one-half pounds
The wholesalers contend that if the
new bill becomes a law and they are
compelled to label all goods destined
| for consumption in this state with a
label guaranteeing that the goods con-
form to the pure food law of the
state of Washington, giving the net
weight, they will either have to employ
extra labor, or change the size of the
cans now used, all of which added cost
will eventually but surely fall on the
consumer. A hardship will be worked
on the manufacturer they claim
Goods destined for the state of Wash
ington will have to be specially labeled
If every state in the Union were to
adopt such law, the manufacturer
would have to prepare his goods for
practically As distinct markets in this
country alone If Washington is not
able to consume the goods shipped
then they will have to be returned and
relabeled for another market.
Seattle Dealers Compromise.
1t is generally believed that the Re-
tail Grocers' association of Belling-
ham is behind the bill Last week the
wholesalers and retailers of Seattle met
and fought out this particular section,
the decision being that the weight
measure incorporated in the pure food
bill should correspond to the national
law, which would not mean any added
expense to the wholesaler, as one label
would do for both the state OF WASH
ington and the rest of the united
States. The agreement did not by any
means bind the retailers of the whole
state. The wholesalers, while not I'M
peaching the good faith of the Seattle
retailers. are on the ground and de-
termined to make strong fight. KEEP
resentative Caches, who introduced the
bill. is a member of the Skagit County
Retail Grocers' association
The bill is entitled, "An act to pro-
vide against the adulteration OF foods'
drinks and drugs. and frauds In the
sale thereof; creating state board OF
food commissioners, defining their du-
ties and providing for the appointment
of an officer to be known as the state
dairy and food commissioner; provid-
ing for the enforcement Of the law ana
fixing a penalty for the violation there
of: making an appropriation" and re-
healing Chapter "a of the Laws OF 1901
as amended by Chapter 81 OF the Laws
If 1905