The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-05-20
BY ellison Gardner.

BY ellison Gardner.
WASHINGTON, d. c., May 20.
initiation whisky be mark
ed imitation" is a question
which will soon be decided-once
more ''finally"-by President
Taft.
Something over rs per cent of
all the whisky" consumed in the
United States is neutral spirits
colored and favored to initiate
that article. About 60,O00,O00
gallons of genuine whisky are dis
titled each year. About 10000
1000 gallons of neutral spirits are
also made each year. The genuine
whisky is distilled from high
grade grains. The neutral spirits
can be made from anything from
corn stalks to sawdust. A large
part of the 100000 gallons of
whisky produced each year is sold
by the distillers to the rectifiers,
who mix it with the neutral spir-
its, SO some of the imitation whis-
key on the market contains some
whisky; a larger part contains
none.
Determined that whisky made of
neutral spirits, colored, and with
the flavoring extract, shall not be
labeled imitation or "com-
pound" the manufacturers of this
product have carried on three
year war since 1905 against the
governments enforcement of the
nura fond low Tho b;c+0rxy 30 Al l.,
war is one Of the most remark
able in the history of any effort
by the government to make its
laws effective. Three times an
opinion has been handed down by
an attorney general of the United
States, and twice by president of
the United States, and twice by
federal judges. All these decisions
were unfavorable to the distillers.
When Taft became president the
effort to secure an executive inter-
vention was renewed and was sue
cessful. During the second week
in March the case was reopened by
a hearing at the white house, and
on April 8 final arguments were
presented at a special hearing be-
fore Solicitor General Bowers at
the department of justice. When
Mr.. Bowers makes his report
President Taft will again deter
mine the question of imitation
whisky-either supporting or re-
versing the decision of his prede-
cessor.
This fight of the distilling inter-
ests began even before the pure
food law was passed. For IT
years previous to its passage a
regularly organized lobby was
maintained in Washington, and 1t
is the boast of aWrwick M. Hough,
their attorney, that he, and the in
terests which he represented, were
for years the largest factor in pre-
venting the passage of the pure
food law. Hough is still in charge.
The first decision thta imitation
whisky was imitation whisky was
rendered 1906 by DR.. H. W..
Wiley, chief chemist of the depart
ment of agriculture; Mr.. Carey of
the treasury department, and s. N.
d. North, now director of the CEN
sus: Another decision was by a
board of seven state pure food
analysists supporting DR.. Wiley.
The distillers protested. They
got the question transferred to a
board consisting of the secretary
of agriculture, its solicitor, Mr..
McCabe, and Assistant Secretary
Hayes. Before this board, made
Its report the case was appealed
directly to the president. Mr..
Roosevelt heard arguments and
put the matter up to Atty. Gen.
Bonaparte.
In 1907 Atty. Gen. Bonaparte
rendered his first decision. He
held that there was a difference
between genuine whisky and the
imitation product, and upheld
Wiley in his contention that the
imitation article ought to be sc
marked.
Mr.. Hough and the distilling in.
terests asked for q reahearing OF
the case, and IL was reheard. After
a while Atty. Gen. Bonaparte gave
another opinion the same as his
first.
The distilling interests Their
sought relief in the courts and
asked the government to cooper.
ate in test case. Thereupon the
agricultural department seized the
Agricultural department seized sew.
eral barrels of whisky belonging
to the Clark Distilling Co. In
Washington, d. G.
| Meantime the internal revenue
division of the government became
| party to the fight. Solicitor
Hayes for that department form
ulated certain regulations as to
the branding of scolored distillate
and it became necessary for Atty
Gen. Bonaparte again to inter.
vene. Mr.. Hayes has since become
a partner in the firm of Mr.
Hough. The regulations which
were drawn by Mr.. Hayes were
mot accepted by the attorney gen.
eral, and a new solicitor drew new
regulations which required an Inn
itation whisky to be so marked.
That was July 1. 1908.
For the trial of their test case
resulting from the seizure OF
| Clarke whisky. the dfstfllars