Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-12-30
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 80, 1909.
WHAT Is WHIsKEYp ANSWER

The question What is whiskey?"
has been finally decided-at least un-
til the close of the present Admins
tration. President Taft has decided
it, and in thoroughly characteristic
fashion.
The Taft of the judicial mind came
to the front in this matter. In his
opinion, which overrules all previous
guesses on the point of issue, the
President confesses that he has per-
sonally made a careful study of the
great record in the matter, reading
its 1900 pages of matter. His decis-
ion is the opinion of a judge handed
down from the bench; and it is GER
tainly masterpiece of clean English,
plainly stated, and Of good reasoning
The fact that it doesn't agree with
anybody else who has gone over the
same matter, and that, in fact, al
most no two of the various authorities
called to pass on this difficult ques-
ton in the last three years, does not
detract from the value of this piece
of work as characteristic OF Taft meth
DDS.
When the pure food law passed,
DR.. Wiley held that straight whisky
was made by one distillation and had
its fusel oil modified by aging in char
red barrels. Two brands of this
straight whisky could be blended and
called a blend of WHISTLES. But DR..
Wiley was not friendly to the whisky
which is commonly made from neu-
trail spirits, reduced by addition of
water and colored with fruit juices or
Drowned sugar. His ban was placed
on these, and forthwith there was a
series of appeals, which finally car
ried the matter up to Roosevelt. He
turned it over to Attorney General
Bonaparte, who handed down de-
cision which became the law of that
administration.
Straight whisky was to be called
straight whisky. A mixture of two
straight WHISTLES was to be called a
blend. A whisky produced from neu-
trail spirits, colored, was to be called
imitation whisky.
From this again appeal was taken
and the case was reopened last spring.
Solicitor General Bowers rendered
decision which did not agree with
that of Mr.. Bonaparte, and this, i'll
turn, went to President Taft, result
ing in his present decision. Under
the Taft nomenclature WHISTLES will
be labeled as follows:
Straight whisky may be labeled as
Bourbon" or rye" straight whisky,
with the legend aged in the wood"
Whisky made of rectified, neutral
or redistilled spirits may be labeled
as whisky made from redistilled
spirits" or whisky made from neutral
spirits" or whisky made from rec
tilted spirits" and if either of these
is az ID in the wood, as is sometimes
the case, it may be so indicated on
the label. Whisky made by mixing
straight whisky with that produced
by redistilling may be called "a blend
of straight whisky and whisky made
from neutral spirits" or rectifed or
redistilled spirits.
Neutral whisky made from molas-
ses and reduced to potable strength
by addition OF water may not bella
bled whisky. 1t has been commonly
known in the trade as rum, and must
be known by that name.
This is the substance of the Presi-
dents decision. 1t amounts to de-
feat for the manufacturers of straight
whisky, commonly known as the
Kentucky whisky interest,"" and is
a big victory for the Peoria, Cincin-
natl and other big whisky making in /
terests, which produce most of the
whisky now used in this country by /
the process of rectifying, Redistribution
or employing neutral spirits. In this
latter process the amount of fusil oil
left in the whisky is smaller than in
the making of straight whisky. Flu
sci oil is poison, though the Presi-
dent finds that the amount commonly
occurring in straight whisky-from
Ape-eigbth to one-half of per cent.
10 baby not harmful.
Baltimore Neus.