The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-02
NEW LAWS TAKE EFFECT.

number of the laws passed at the
last session Of congress became effec-
tive yesterday. Among them are the
pure food law, the free alcohol law and
the anti-pass section of the railroad
law. Probably the law which reaches
the largest number of individuals and
industries is the pure food law. 1t
the nature OF a great many food prod
ucts for interstate commerce. From
whisky to catsup. from fee cream to
patent medicines, a food must show on
its label what il really is. IL preserva-
tives, or authorizations, or notifications
are included, they must be indicated
on the label.
1t is already conceded that certain
brands Of jams. preserves and canned
goods, which were rank authorizations
and vicious compounds, will be driven
out of the market. If whisky is called
rye, it must be rye, and pure rye at
that; II il is blended, the nature of the
contents must be shown on the wrap
per. Ice cream will have to show IL II
contains glue or gum tragacanth or d.
luted milk; candy containing glucose
Will show it. and anything containing
personalities will have to advertise the
quantity OF 1t as we'll as its nature.
Now that il has come, the benefits of
the law are apparent, though some of
the regulations prescribed by the de-
partment of agriculture seem unduly
rigorous and difficult to enforce. But
it will be a satisfaction to know when
one buys candy that he Is getting
candy; that the jam set before him is
not compound of glucose. clover seed.
aniline dye and glue; that his whisky
is what it purports to be and not a pol
sonous distillation of fusel oil. cheap
wine. alcohol and cooking whisky; that
the vinegar is not acetic acid and water
with a touch OF coloring matter, and
that his meat has not been stored for
months in what the manufacturers used
to designate playfully as embalming
fluid.
And the only man who will suffer
from the new law is the one who has
made money by dishonesty. by endan-
gering the life and health of the peo-
pie and by cheating in every process of
manufacture where he could do it
without detection and prosecution.
The anti-paSs law is another good
measure, probably as good for the rail-
roads as it is for the public which has
not been favored with free railroad
transportation. No interstate passes
can be accepted lawfully for any pur-
| ity limited to special subjects. No pub
lie officer can travel legally on a pass,
and no pass may be issued in lieu of a
ticket purchased in the regular way.
Under the ruling of the interstate COM
merce commission, no exchange of COM
modities, or advertising, or other serv-
ice, can be made for tickets. The re-
suit is being watched with interest by
railroad men and the public generally
1t Will add enormously to railroad reve-
nues and relieve the companies of i'm
portunities from politicians and others
who had to be placated. 1t will place
all travellers on the same basis, which
is as it should be.
The free alcohol law is expected tC
make available for fuel and industrial
purposes the products of corn, beets
and other material which can be con.
verted into denaturized alcohol. Event.
ually it ought to cheaper the price o.
alcohol and of gasoline, since IL is ar
admirable fuel for gas engines and car
be used in the manufacture Of var
nishes and other goods which have haC
TO depend hitherto on limited supply
OF wood alcohol in the arts and OIL
gasoline and kerosene in power engines
1t is altogether likely Utah will real
benefit from this law, since alcoho
can be manufactured here in quantit!
for commercial use and have the ad
vantage of low freight rates. Fo
automobiles, small power stations
: hoists and all the manifold uses OF tn
gas engine such product will be il
great demand.
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