Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-13
PURE FOOD LAW
MUCH VIOLATED
GREAT INJUSTICE DONE TO
HONEST DEALERS
INFINITE LOSS INFLICTED ON
FRUIT INDUSTRY
Soda Fountains Perpetual Sinners,
Customers Not Being Able to In-
spect Bottles from Which
Drinks Come

say that since the law went into effect
the demand for the genuine article in
fruit favors is but little in excess of
what 1t was previously.
Local fruit flavor manufacturers, who
deal exclusively in the genuine ex-
tracts, charge that the law is violated
by scores of retail dealers and sum-
mer drink dispensers; and, feeling
deeply disappointed at the failure of
the enforcement of the new law APP
probably to stimulate the public de-
mand for their products. they are
agitating the advisability of prosecut-
ing one or more of the local fake ex-
tract dispensers by way of making
an example which, 1t is hoped, will
prove useful warning. 1t is claimed
that many others who find that fake
extracts can be used as they were be-
fore the enforcement of the pure food
| law are daily resorting to the substitu-
| ton of the imitation fiavors.
The manner In which the law is vio-
lated, according to the manufacturers
| of pure fruit extracts, is very simple
and works a gross injustice on the
| unsuspecting public, who, believing
| firmly that the new law has been and
| is enforced, pay little attention to the
| favoring OF their soda and presume
they are getting the genuine article,
although they may have noted that
there has been no change in the taste
of the orange, raspberry or whatever 1t
may be.
How Law Is Overcome
According to those who are most af-
fected by the alleged violation of the
statute, the letter of the law is OBJ
served only to the extent that the orig
inal can or bottle in which the whole
saler delivers his fake product is
plainly marked in red letters "Imita-
ton" or Chemical flavor" But the
consumer of the flavor never sees the
original bottle. The imitation flavor Is
poured by the pint or quart into fancy
/ cut glass or metal bottles such as are
set around the cheaper soda water
fountain, or into silver automatic syrup
holders, such as are used in the more
| elaborate fountains, but in neither case
are the latter marked limitation" and
| the consumer has no way of knowing
whether he is served with the genuine
or the imitation.
AS the law was plainly intended for
the benefit of the individual consumer,
and not for the dispenser, it Is be-
lieved prosecutions can be successfully
made under this complaint.
1t is freely charged that nearly all
the Italians violate the law openly,
and that practically all but two or
three dealers on Main street make no
pretense of serving the genuine fiavors.
Los Angeles as a city, 1t is claimed
is vitality affected by this circumven-
ton of the pure food law, for one of Its
important industries is retarded and
materially impoverished.
Southern California, being one of
the greatest fruit countries in the
world, would have a f1ourishing indus
try in the manufacture of genuine fruit
i extracts If the pure food law was
rigidly enforced.
1t is said the enforcement of this
law would mean hundreds of thousands
of dollars annually to Los Angeles and
the surrounding country.
Benefits That Would Result
Compulsory observance of the law
consequently would so stimulate the
demand that the manufacturing here of
fruit extracts would become q tremen-
dous business; fruit growers would re-
| ceive better prices for their fruit (for
all surplus which was not In demand
for actual eating or canning purposes
would be utilized for extracts), and
the great quantities that now are al
lowed to rot in the groves and orchards
would go toward the manufacture of
genuine flavors to take the place of
| those now initiated.
| Fruit growers would be independent
of market Cutting, as the demand
| for eating purposes would not control
the output, which later would be bal
anced by the syrup manufacturers de-
mand, and so on, annually.
In spite of these facts and the loss
of thousands of dollars yearly to
Southern California, which, with its
vast fruit crops, should be one of the
greatest syrup manufacturing coun-
tries in the world, 1t is said that Los
| Angeles people are the greatest con-
suners of the initiated article.
"There are more imitation havors
sold in Los Angeles" said one dealer
yesterday, ethan in any other city Of
| its size on the globe. Eastern people
| demand the genuine flavor, except at
the scent stands, but in Los Angeles
even some of the most fashionable soda
fountains dispense the imitation.
"Orange syrup of the purest quality
| can be made here very cheaply, and
every one knows how many tons or or
anges go to waste annually In South
ern California, especially in or years;
vet imitation orange havors are manu-
featured in Los Angeles by barrel lots
almost at the same expense as that at
which the genuine could be manufac-
tured.
Prefer Imitation FIavors
"Some of the dealers actually seem
| to prefer the imitation to the real, yet
physicians say most chemical f1avors
| are extremely injurious to the stomach
| and other internal organs.
"With lemons enough to supply al
most ali of the United States and with
carloads of them going to waste. 1t Is
| hard to get a genuine lemon extract
or flavor In almost any city--not over
looking Los Angeles.
|. "Lemonades. of course, are genuine,
but they are sold at most of the stands
for 10 cents, a fact will not criticize.
In the east, however, genuine lemon
| AIDES as a rule sell for cents. But
| when lemon flavor is ordered for a
| soda drink it is only one In ten GUS
! toners that gets the genuine. What ex-
cuse is there for this? believe none.
EVERY one, too, knows how plenti-
| full and how cheap Strawberries are,
especially when the season is we'll on.
yet we find many dealers are demand
| ing a cochineal- chemical imitation IN
barrel lots, and scorn the genuine.
"And all this is going on In Los
| Angelesl In Southern California! IN
the far-famed land of fruits! In the
face Of the pure food and drugs law!
VIII People Permit It2
sis it possible that the people of Los
Angeles are going to permit one or
their chief industries to be driven out
| by lack of demand for good, pure,
wholesome extracts?
At believe the pure food law intend
| ed that every bottle containing an imi-
/ tation flavor should be so marked
| plainly. no matter whether 1t Is the