The Detroit times., 1909-12-27
TAFT DECIDES N
WHAT IS WH|skY?'
Reverses Verdict Of Roosevelt, Bona
parte and Wiley-Ruling Com
pels Makers To Tell Truth.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 27.-President
Taft has rendered his final decision on
the subject, What is whisky" He
holds that whisky made of neutral
spirits is whisky when reduced to pot
able strength.
The president covered other details
In his decision and gave directions for
the proper branding OF various yarie-
ties OF liquor. holding among other
things that Canadian Club whisky and
whisky made from mixture or
straight" whisky and neutral splr-
it's" may be called blend.
According TO the instructions under
this decision straight whiskies" will
hereafter be branded as such, but the
legend aged in wood" and whisky
made from rectihed, distilled or neu-
tral spirits will be branded so as to
make known the principal ingredient.
In addition, IL they so desire. manufac-
turers OF straight whisky may also use
the word Bourbon" or rye" as the
facts may warrant.
The definition OF blends" Is not
made broad enough to include neutral
spirits made from molasses and re-
duced to potable strength. This ar
ticle. the president says, cannot be
labeled as whisky; it is rum.
The president takes DR.. Wiley and
other chemists to task for a "funda-
mental error" as TO what the name
whisky" has included during the past
100 years. and he also expresses the
opinion that Mr.. Bowers makes TOO
nice a distinction" In his deductions.
IF" he says. speaking OF the opin-
Ion OF Bowers. "high wines at from lao
degrees TO 100 degrees, when reduced
20 potable strength and containing
very small quantity Of fusel oil ana
favored by burnt sugar, are whisky.
as he has found, then the mere I'M
provement in the process by contlnu'
ous distillation SO as to give product
OF from 160 degrees to 1SS degrees
proof and stillefurther to reduce It's
fusel oil. is not TO change its whole
nature or to make what was genuine
whisky imitation whisky, because OF
n slightly reduced trace OF one ingredi'
ent. The distinction is too impracttc-
able. in my judgment, for the execu'
tion of the law"
The president thinks such an order
as his decision contemplates cannot
do injustice.
Those" fe says, who make whis-
XIV of 'rectified,' 're-distilled' or 'neu-
trail spirits, cannot complain ii. IN
order TO prevent further frauds, they
are required to use brand which
shall show exactly the kind OF whisky
they are selling. For that reason IL
seems to me fair to require them 10
brand their product as whisky mace
from rectified spirits or whisky made
from re-distiled spirits. or whisky
made from neutral spirits. as the case
may be- and II aged in the WOOD. as
sometimes is the case with TINS class
of whiskies, they may add this fact.
Speaking further in the same hne'
he says: THE public Will be made
to know exactly the kind or WHISKY
they buy and drink. II they desire
straight whisky. they can secure II by
purchasing what is branded 'straight
whisky II they are willing TO drink
whisky made OF neutral spirits, then
they can buy II under brand snow
ing IL; and II they are content with
blend of flavors made by the mixture
OF straight whisky and whisky maze
of nertral spirits. the brand or the
blend on the package Will enable them
to buy and drink that which they de-
sire. This was the intent OF the act.
II iniures no mans lawful business.
because 1t only insists on the state
ment OF truth in the label.
ar those who manufacture whisky
made OF neutral spirits and wish to
call II whisky without explanatory
nbrase complain because the add.
ton of neutral spirits In the label
~
are without just ground, because
thev lose their trade merely from
statement OF the fact. The straight
whisky men are relieved from all fu-
ture attempt to pass of neutral-spirits
whisky as straight whisky. More than
this. If straight whisky or any other
Kind of whisky is aged in the wood.
the fact NAV he branded on the pack
age and this claim to public favor
NAV truthfully be put forth. Thus the
nurpose of the pure food law is fully
ACCOMPLISHED in respect of misbrand-
ing and truthful branding.
The decision follows the lines OF
,he conclusions reached by the royal
commission of Great Britain and re-
serses the verdict of former Presi-
dent Roosevelt. former Attorney-Gen-
aral Ronaparte. Solicitor-General Bow
ers and Or. Wiley.
The Roosevelt t-Bonaparte-Wiley or
der denied the use OF the word "whis-
Nv" in branding to all liquor except
"straight whisky" the whisky which
IS aged in charTed oak casks. Bowers
extended the use OF the word TO
liquors made of "rectihed' and dis
tiled" spirits. Taft goes step
tarthar and includes blends and whis-
XIV made from neutral spirits
Alfred Lucking. attorney for the
Walkerville dlstillery. when told OF
President Taft's decision, said:
cit is a complete victory for us.
n means that the label will not be
changed. Our product is safely within
the bounds OF those liquors that may
be called whiskey under the de-
cision.'
w. c. T. u. LEADER DIES.