New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-27
WHISKEY ISDEFINED
LABEL MUST TELL
KIND, SAYS TAFT.
Straight Brand Has No No
nopoly of Name-Roose-
reIt's Verdict Reversed.
CFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

LFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dec 26.-President Taft
made public to-day his answer TO the
long debated question, What is whis-
key?" in = decision which. in addition TO
its intrinsic interest. charms by it's sim
plicity and common sense and brings
into striking light the strong Judicial
bent of the present Chief Executive.
Confronted by a multiplicity of duties
which would appal an ordinary man, Mr..
Taft could not resist the temptation TO
take this apparently complicated ques-
ton into his own hands, and the ease
with which he has eXtricated the prob
lem from an apparently inextricable
maze Of conflicting testimony and aca-
demic opinions, and the clarity of his de
cision. which by its very simplicity car
ries conviction even 10 the layman, he
demonstrates his great capacity as
jurist,
That which has long been known 10
the trade and 10 the consumer as whis-
KEY President Taft declares 70 be still
whiskey, whether IT be simply distilled
or distilled and rectifed. whether it be
free from caramel or contain il. and his
decision Of the several problems pre-
sented IS that straight whiskey" must
be so labelled. that the so-called neutral
spirits whiskey must be labelled ''whls-
kew from rectthed' or 'redistilled or
neutral spirits, and that blend Of the
two must state that fact on the label;
and whiskey which has been aged in the
wood may bear statement of the fact
on the label. and that is practically all
there is 10 Mr.. Taft's decision
MUCH FRAUD IN LABELLING.
After citing the fact that there has
been much fraud in connection with the
labelling and sale Of whiskey, Mr.. Taft
says:
The way TO remedy this evil is not to
ATTEMPT to change the meaning and the
scope Of the term 'whisISey accorded TO
it for one hundred years and narrow II
10 include only straight whiskey, and
there is nothing in the pure food law
that warrants the inference of such an
intention by Congress. The way to do
It is 10 require branding in connection
with the use Of the term 'whisl1ey' which
will indicate just what kind of whskey
the package contains" In addition, If
thev so desire, manufacturers of straight
whiskey may also use the words -'bour-
bon" or rye" as the facts may warrant.
The Presidents decision will doubtless
prove a disappointment to those pur-
vevors Of straight whiskey who have
sought 10 acquire q monopoly of the gen
eric term, as II will to those who. actu-
ated by the conviction that all whiskey
as beverage is deIeterious, have sought
through the pure food law TO discredit
material portion of the output and thus
artihcially to curtail the supply Neither
does the Presidents decision support
those purists who would read into the
law the authority 70 establish an arbi-
trarv standard OF chemical purity. but
that the decision will command the ad-
uiration and respect OF those who ad-
nnire common sense and who love justice
for Justices sake seems assured.
DECISION A JUST ONE.
Even a limited familiarity with the
great mass of testimony and the diver
sitv or conflicting opinions which con-
fronted Mr. Taft when he undertook 10
settle this moot question must serve 10
increase ones admiration for the clear
thinking and keen logic which have re-
tected all that is extraneous and reduced
d seemingly complex problem 10 one Of
such obvious simplicity that almost
without argument IT'S justice is compel
ling
The President cove other details
in his decision and gave directions for
the proper branding OF various varie-
ties Of liquor. holding, among other
Continued on third page