Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-07-27
NV. MILLERS 0BJECTINC,
eLEACHED FLOUR RULE SHOULD
BE APPLIED FAIRLY.
Department Of Agriculture Is Urged
to Institute Prosecutions for
Violations.

Minneapolis. July 21.-Millers of
the northwest, while they are not
censuring their competitors who per-
sist in placing bleached -four on the
market after the method of bleaching
has been declared by the secretary Of
agriculture to be in violation of the
pure food law. still strongly insist
that the ruling be made law to be
obeyed universally or that it be en-
tirely rescinded, giving all the mill
ers equal opportunities to dispose Of
their product.
In resolutions just passed by the
millers they make a formal demand
on the secretary of agriculture for
the immediate bringing of test suit
tn determine the legality of his rul-
Ing"
The conditions arising from some
of the flour manufacturers following
to the letter the decision of the de-
partment of agriculture, and others
disregarding 1t, were discussed at a
meeting Of about 80 spring wheat
millers of the northwest and promin.
ent millers from other sections, at tho
Minneapolis club.
when Secretary of Agriculture ].
+. Wilson made his declaration last
December that -four bleaching was
contrary to law" said A. L. Geotz.
mann. secretary Of the Millers' Ma
tional federation. after the meeting,
''he announced that he would begin
the prosecution Of the manufacturers
Of any bleached flour he found In In
terstate commerce after June 9, 1909,
but he has not begun q single prose.
cution.
Some Of the millers took the ruling
Of the department Of agriculture seri-
ously and began to put out unbleached
-four, while others kept to the old
methods and are not being brought to
terms as threatened by the secretary
All this has given rise to very unsat.
isfactory conditions as the producer
of unbleached flour has little chance
Of sale where the other Is offered.
1--WE do not blame the man who Ia
still bleaching his -four for doing so
II he can, but II he is allowed the
privilege, we want 1t given to all i'm.
partially. 1t is universally believed
by the millers that the process OF
bleaching. until recently employed In
nearly all the manufacturing plants
Is in strict accordance with the food
and drugs act, but that is not the
question. The ruling of Secretary
Wilson is not law and all we wan
Is precedent established SO that ev
cry miller can bleach his flour with
out fear Of prosecution or all will be
compelled to abolish the system"
The discussion eliminated in the
passing Of resolution through which
the millers will formally call the at
tention of Secretary Wilson to the
conditions said to have arisen from
his decision and his alleged failure tc
make all flour manufacturers compl,
with his ruling.
The resolution Is as follows:
BE 1t resolved by the spring whea
millers of the northwest. In meeting
assembled. that we request the secre
tary of the Millers' National fedora
ton to Immediately draw the condi
tons existing to the attention Of
T. Wilson and formally demand o.
him the immediate bringing of ties,
suit to determine the legality Of hi
ruling, and the secretary Of this meet
Ing be requested to pass this resolu
ton to the Associated Press and the
secretary of the federation be re
Quested to forward it to Presiden
Taft"