The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-17
Benzoate of Soda Controver-
sy Will Get Airing Be-
fore Congress.
WlLEY's FRIENDS RALLY
ACTION or SECRETARY WILSON
OF AGRICULTURAL DEPART
MENT WILL BE QUESTIONED
TROUBLE A1REWING.

Washington, D. c.. Oct. 16.-Ma-
chine methods more fitting for a ward
primary than a deliberative body &C
complished the adoption at the Denver
convention of the State and National
Dairy and Food commissioners. of
resolution endorsing the report OF the
Remsen board which was favorable to
benzoate of soda. Whatever tactical
advantage was thus secured by the
friends OF this chemical preservative
promises to be swallowed up in the
wave OF popular indignation following
the public knowledge Of the methods
employed to dragon delegates and
force the passage Of the resolution ov-
er the vehement protests OF one halr
the states represented. Already there
has been much unfavorable criticism
of the course of the department OF ag-
riculture in exerting it's influence
through q number of its employees
present at the convention. first to as
sist the purveyors Of chemically pre-
served foods to force their products
upon the public. and second, to down
DR.. H. w. Wiley. While the ben
zoate champions connected with the
department were permitted to trade
upon the prestige of the department
and even of the national government
itself, and the members of the Rem
sen board were present at govern
ment expense to testify as experts In
behalf of benzoate of soda.
Best Equipped Man.
man in the department of agriculture
to discuss pure food matters, was not
allowed to speak in his own defense.
On the floor he was attacked by his
superior officer Secretary Wilson. In
directly If not by name. In the lob
bies swarmed the agents of the de-
partment, of the whiskey men, the
bleached flour manufacturers, the
benzoic acid users and others whose
interests lie in weakening as far as
possible the national pure food law,
and their cry was, Down with Wiley"
Finally, by ringing in the Remsen
board, Wilson and Roosevelt. a milk
and-water resolution was jammed
through.
Since then the storm has been gath
ering and it will break in Washington
next winter when the Iveliest fight
since the pure food bill was passed
will take place. The food commission
ers who are opposed to doctoring ket
chup, tomato soup, jams, jellies, etc
with CHEMICALS, will take the matter
before President Taft this winter and
request him to order an investigation
VIZ n
benzoate of soda is employed as
preservative. For reasons not alto
gether clear the department of agri
culture has side-tracked the only re
port ever made on the actual trade
conditions where benzoate of soda fig
ures. and has persisted in maintaining
q friendly, even a paternal attitude
toward the drug solely because of ;
negative report from three chemist
as to some experiments.
"Medicated Garbage"
These experiments, as everyon
knows, did not touch in any way upo
the question of 'medicated garbage,
which, by the way. was not referred t
the Remsen board by Secretary Wi
son. 1t is charged that refuse con
ing from canning factories is utilize
in the manufacture of condiments
foods. A report of a government In
spector confirms this charge No
comes the association of food con
missioners with resolution askin
President Taft and Secretary Wilso
ito institute further studies concern
ing the use of preservatives and alon
the broadest lines" The studies d.
sired are to be directed toward actu;
conditions and not theoretical concl'
sions. 1t is thought not improbab
that President Taft will be influence
to a considerable extent by the prt
nounced hostility of Secretary Wilso
toward further investigation of the SUI
ject In case the president declines
direct any further inquiry, congre