The sun., 1909-02-04
~ Defence or DR. WILEY.
Mr.. Lever OF South Carolina Attacks the
Presidents Referee BOa rd Decision.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-"The referee
board Of consulting chemists appointed
by President Roosevelt to supervise
the findings Of DR.. IL. W Wiley, chief
chemist of the Agricultural Department,
under the pure food and drug act, to-day
got a blow from Representative Lever
Of South Carolina. Mr. Lever is men,
Der Of the Committee on Agriculture
and his speech was the first in general
debate on the agricultural appropriation
bill in the House. He began at once
an attack upon President Roosevelt
for compelling Secretary Wilson to ap-
point the board which he said had been
made at the demand of dishonest manu-
facturers Of food and drug products.
Mr. Lever said he had criticised the
Committee on Agriculture last year for
not particularly specifying for what pur-
poses the lump sum Appropriation of
SOC. 900 for the bureau of chemistry should
be used and had again this year expressed
hisfdisapproval.
The S6O, 600" he said. "is recommended
for the payment Of the expenses OF the
referee board of consulting chemists
a board whose alleged funct ion s more
thorough enforcement OF the pure food
and drugs act.
A closer study Of its functions and the
reasons for its creation and its exercise
OF its functions convinces me that II was
created without authority OF law and IN
response to the demands of the food
adulterers of the country and that in
stead Of providing an appropriation
with which to continue IL We should now
declare. as the representatives OF the
people anxious for a faithful enforce
ment OF the pure food act-designed to
=. Il VaNs. hA
chaser Of an article a pure and wholesome
food and a food which was what il was
adv ertised to be-that no part of money
appropriated in this bill for the bureau
OF chemistry shall be used for the pay
ment of any expenses in connection with
this so-called referee board or any other
board the exercise of whose functions
can only have the effect Of raising con-
fusion and interfering with the chief of
the bureau of chemistry, who alone is
charged with the statutory duty OF pre-
pairing the data upon which the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture must act in the en-
forcement of the pure food and drugs act.
Mr.. Lever added that all observing men
must hope for the return OF the time when
the President should be governed in his
actions by regard for the law and not
by individual impulse. DR.. Wiley's con-
clusions. Mr.. Lever said had been APP
proved by food experts and scientists
the world over, and in every home he had
been recognized as the friend Of the con-
sumers.
III DR.. Wiley has heretofore been right
in his decisions said Mr.. Lever. -the
greatest consideration should be given
now to his decision on benzoate OF soda.
| can show by the documents OF the de-
partment that the scientific world almost
to a man indorsed nearly every investi-
CATION he has made and the conclusions
he has reached
He read kilograms from ten or dozen
State dairy and food commissions, all
declaring against the use Of benzoate Of
soda in food products,
The only results accomplished by
the referee board of consulting chem
ists,- Mr.. Lever concluded. have been
to muddy the waters, confuse the people
and delay the enforcement Of the pure
food and dr,I Rs act