Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-28
Grocers Cannot Sell Adulterated
Foods From the Bulk I'm
less Marked
IMPORTANT PURE FOOD RULING
Fact That Bulk Package 10 Labeled
Does Not Permit Sales of Smaller
Packases-Late Ruling of Railway
Commission Important to Eastern
Iowa Manufacturers.
Special to Times-Republican.
Iowa N anufacturers.

Special to IimsS-Republlcan.
Des Moines, March 2S.-The state
pure food and dairy commissioner has
succeeded in getting another point in
tie pure food law established. 1t may
ne carried to the higher courts but the
department has won in the lower
court The npint is that a grocer can
not sell adulterated foods from the
bulk even if the bulk package is prop
erly labeled. The department has
been expecting suit of the kind for
some time. 1t came when a Des
Moines grocer sold some lard.
The lard was contained in large
package on the counter. The crock was
properly labeled that the lard was 81
per cent pork lard and 10 per cent beef
fat Persons asking for lard were
supplied from that package. The small
package wrapped up for the customer
was not labeled. The department con-
tended in the suit that if the grocer
was allowed to do that he could as
legally have the bulk package of lard
sitting under the counter or in the back
room where no one could see the la
bel.
The pure food department is insist
ing on strict construction Of the law as
the only means of protecting the pub
lie. 1t is contended that people have
right to know what they are paying
for A label OH the bulk package more
often than not would be of no service
whatever to the public for more often
than not the customer would not see
the package from which it was taken.
90
When the railroad commission yes
terday put VI commodity rates for
distances of 290 to $50 miles 1t pu9 the
people in all the river towns of Iowa
on an equal footing with the people
living in the river towns just across
the river outside of Iowa. For some
time the people of Rock Island have
been able to ship to Council Bluffs at
a less rate than the people of Daven-
port who were the distance across the
river nearer to Council Bluffs. The
same thing has been true at Burling-
ton, Clinton and Dubuque. The rate
from the towns across the river in IL
linois to Council Bluffs under the in
terstate rates was 22.5 cents and the
distance from the Iowa towns % cents.
The rate on these same commodities
under the Iowa distance tariff for. 290
miles was 22.5 cents but for $50 miles
it was 2S cents. The commission has
made the rate a fiat rate after 290
miles. This gives the Davenport peo-
pie chance to ship entirely across
the state for the same rate that the
Rock Island people pay. These rates
were put in on brick. furniture, paper.
agricultural implements and wagons
At the same time the commission
granted the petition Of the Corn Belt
Meat Producers Association for better
sheep rates. AT the recent hearing be-
fore the commission, it was shown
that Iowa sheep feeders are discrim-
mated against in the matter of sheep
rates. Other western states have a
feeding in transit rate which allowed
the sheep men to buy sheep in New
MGNlcO dlu OliCl WCSlCIH SouIIIl ACS VII
the range. and ship them to their
farms and feed them and then ship
them on to the market at one thru
rate. Iowa sheep feeders were not
given the same advantage. The rates
on sheep were SO high that it was
taking much of the profits of the busi-
ness. Tho rate was higher than the
cattle rate, and Furthermore, because
it was impossible to get enough sheep
into a car, the shipper had always to
pay for more sheep than he actually
shipped The new rate applies the
cattle rate to double deck sheep cars
and puts the rate on sheep for feeding
at IS per cent of the rate on sheep on
their way to market. The reduction on
the sheep rate is another in series
of victories for the Corn Belt Meat
Producers Association in getting
rates lowered.
Judge S. F. Prouty, who Is a candi-
date for congress in the Seventh dis
trict against Congressman Hull, came
nearer to being elected to congress
twice than perhaps any other man.
In his first campaign against Hull,
when the old caucus and convention
system was in force, Hull controlled
the Polk county central committee, all
of the committeeman being Hull men
with the exception of one, Walter Ir-
ish. who was for Prouty. The county
central committee selected the judges
of election and had the entire charge
of the primary and convention. Eighty
five more people in Polk county voted
for Prouty than did for Hull. but the
returns showed that Hull had major
ity of the delegates to the county
convention Prouty and his friends
always claimed that majority of his
delegates were elected, but the Hull
peop pie had the machinery of the party
and the ballots and poll books We're
soon afterward destroyed. and it was
Impossible to prove il. The returns
showed that Hull had Polk county