Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
URE FOOD LAW
PROTEST AGAINST TAWNEY'S
AMENDMENT.

The coupling Of the new pure food law by
an amendment offered by Representative
lTawney Of Minnesota Is the text Of a state
ment given to the newspapers by Henry
Beach Needham, secretary Of the Peoples
Lobby. The statement says. in part:
successful attei- pit to impair the eff
hciency Of the pure food law, q measure
directly affecting every citizen, was made
| In the House Of Representatives last week,
IN the opinion Of the Peoples Lobby. AS
reported the agricultural appropriation bill.
at the end of the section relating to the
bureau Of chemistry, contained an appro-
priation Of $4,000 to carry into effect the
provisions Of the pure food act. There was
added to this section. on motion Of Repre-
| sentative Tawney Of Minnesota the fol-
lowing amendment:
| :" Provided, that no part of this sum shall
De used for the payment Of compensation or
expenses of any officer or otner person en-
ployed by any state, county or municipal
government.
This amendment, as 1t stands, not only
| skaters the plan already adopted by the
| Department of Agriculture, but, If enacted
into law, would greatly interfere with the
efficient and economical execution of the
pure food law. Such provision would for
bid the payment to any state, county or
| municipal official of money for expert opin-
ion or for services or for expenses incurred
| in appearing before court. Should the
proviso remain in the appropriation bill the
Secretary of Agriculture could not request
any such officer to give expert advice
render services unless he did so without
| remuneration, paying his own expenses.
| The Secretary could not ask any such Of
fetal to serve on any board in Washington
| or to aid in the enforcement Of the pure
| food law, provided any expenses were in
CURED by the Department of Agriculture.
The amendment would preclude even the
| temporary employment of the best-tra!ned
! talent Of the country in the enforcement Of
the law.
1T would take the government two or
/ three years to assemble and organize a
force Of experts to carry out the provisions
| Of the pure food act and insure its
| forcement with a degree of efficiency COM
| parable with an organization wherein fed
eral and state officials cooperate Fur
thermore, such independent enforcement by
the national government would cost many
| times that provided in the plan Of CO.
operation proposed by the Department CT
| Agriculture. Five millions a year in lieu
| of the $6J0.OOO appropriated, Is the estimate
| of Representative Mann.
I'm the fight over the pure food bill at
| the long session of Congress the special
| interests opposing the measure did every
! thing to create a feeling Of antagonism
! between state officials and the advocates Of
| federal law. BY this means 1t was hoped
to divide the forces of reform and bring
| about conflict Of opinion regarding sew
eral real issues involved in the considera-
tion, of the measure. The plot failed. AS
| was manifest at the convention Of the As
ISOLATION of State and National Food and
Dairy Commissioners, held at Hartford
last summer. tho pure food law has re-
| ceived unqualified approval from the state
| officers. 1t would now appear that the
same thing is being attempted In a differ
ent way"
Mr.. Tawney's Explanation.
| Representative Tawney explained to
Star reporter today that he had introduced
the amendment in question because of the
| fact that the states were showing a dis
position to cut down or eliminate altogether
| their appropriations for the PURPOSES in
question, leaving the federal government to
| stand all of the expense.
| In his remarks on the subject Of the
| amendment, when it was offered in the
| House, Mr.. Tawney said:
| THE purpose of this amendment Is to
| keep separate or distinct the administration
| Of our national pure food law and the adj
| ministration and enforcement Of our state
pure food laws. Under the national pure
| food law the Secretary Of Agriculture has
| unlimited power. He has unlimited discre-
| tion. in the matter Of its enforcement, SUBJ
| ject only to the power Of Congress through
its appropriations to control the general
| policy he shall pursue in the execution Of
| this law, When before the committee on
| appropriations in support Of an estimate OF
$3.50 900 to begin the work OF organizing
| for the enforcement Of this law the Secre-
| tary Of Agriculture informed the committee
| that it was his purpose to employ state in
| spectors; to employ officers Of the state for
| the enforcement Of the federal pure food
| law. 1t is for Congress, therefore, to say
| whether it shall be the policy Of the federal
| government to enter into copartnership with
/ the states in the enforcement Of this law
| or pursue an Independent policy. How care
| full have the states been to keep out of the
| administration OF their domestic affairs the
influence Of the federal government!
Policy Of the States.
Almost every state constitution contains
| a provision making ineligible any citizen OF
| the state from holding any elective or ap-
pointive Office in the state who fills or
occupies a federal Office. 1t has always
been the policy of the people of the states
to keep separate and distinct from federal
| administration the conduct Of their domes-
4 tic affairs; and for the same reason the
| federal government should keep separate
| and distinct the administration OF Its AFFAIRS
and the enforcement Of its laws from the
influence of the state. Without this 1t
| will be only a very short time before the
| federal government will be enforcing every
| state pure food law in the Union, and we
| will never. know what 1t is costing the
| general government to enforce. the national
| pure-food law. But there is another reason
| for opposing the employment Of the states
| agents in the enforcement OF this law. I
| believe it Is absolutely essential for the
efficient enforcement of our national pure
food legislation. We cannot depend upon
\ state inspectors for the enforcement OF this
| law. Their acquaintance with and the In
| fuence Of local friends will in many cases
| result in their overlooking attractions Of
/ this law which would otherwise be reported
| and result in prosecutions and convictions.
Il do not believe that 1t Is good policy
or good. administration for US to mingle
the enforcement of our national pure-food
law with our state pure-food legislation.
Now submit to the committee that in
! asmuch as we are just beginning to appro-
1 nrfo TO for no an