Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-05
Chief chemist Says il Is Causing
no Hardship and is huloHa|I-
sally Enforcing Itself.
CITIES ARE HELPING THE NATION
Doctor Tells of Effect of Law on
Foods and Drinks-Many inspectors
to be Named in a Short Time-Au.
thorities Are Pleased With the New
Law.

WASHINGTON, y. c.. Feb. A.
That the Pure Food law is automa I'll
cally enforcing itself throughout tho
country, that II is occasionng no
failures among producers and that the
American people are knowing for the
first time the ingredients of things
they eat is the opinion of the chief
chemist Of the Department of Agri-
culture. DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, who
will have charge of the OK
aminations that will he held
on Tuesday next for food
inspectors for the entire United
States. When these men are chosen
the department will be prepared to
see that the provision of the Pure
Food law, which went into effect on
January l, are enforced throughout
the country.
There will he assigned two men to
State on an average. but more mon
where they are needed. The entire
insDection will be held under the
guidance of the Washington Office
and reports will be made to and or
ders sent out from that office
Cities Are Cooperating.
DIR. Wiley said today that the vari
Gus cities are cooperating with him
in the enforcement OF the Pure Food
law and that the health departments
Of the cities have adopted provisions
Of the law into their regulations, aud
having the necessary powers TO eli
force them, are relieving the national
government of the burden. This is
noticeably true in the case of New
York. and the department regards Dr.
Darlington of that office, as one OF
its chief allies.
Relative to the effects of The Pure
Food law MS so far cXcmplified DR.
Wiley expressed himself as greatly
pleased. He says that although he
has no inspectors in the field rs yet
he believes from indirect reports aud
from his own observation that mcr-
chants. druggists and liquor dealers
are conforming TO the law as rapid
as possible.
81 have dropped into various drug
stores" he said, there and in other
cities since the first of the year. AMI
have been surprised to find how gen
orally the law is being observed.
Those patent medicines that contain
alcohol, as most of them do, and
which contain opiates must under
the new law be so labelled, and even
in the remotest establishment I find
the law is being obeyed.
What the Law is Doing.
"The same is true of the liquor and
grocery dealers. A brand Of whiskey
that has laen sold as pure rye for
fifty wears and sworn by OH the part
Of old customers now appears as
blended" whiskey, and the customer
continues to drink it. but knows what
he is getting. Old brands of maple
syrup which have always been con-
sidcred as pure now appear as forty
per cent. maple and sixty per cent
corn syrup to the surprise of the
housewife.
ct is an actual fact that pure but.
ter. with no artificial colorng. can
now be obtained at the Washington
hotels. and It Is also true that this
has not been the case for twenty
years.
There are innumerable protests. /
get them every day from nanufac-
t,rrers aud dealers, who declare that
they are being driven to the wall by
the new law. They claim. for exam
pie. the coloring matter is harmless
and that the people have been ac-
customed to certain shades in olives,
preserves and the like and will not
buy unless the color is right. They
write. OF all kinds Of hardshiDs. but
the law is being enforced and do
not see any closed DOORS