The Detroit times., 1909-12-27

opinion that Mr.. Bowers makes too
nice distinction" inshs deductions
IT." he says. speaking OF the opin-
ion of Bowers. high wines at from l40
degrees to leo degrees, when reduced
TO potable strength and containing a
very small quantity of fusel oil and
favored by burnt sugar. are WHISKY
as he has found then the mere inn
provement in the process by continu-
GUS distillation so as to give product
of from 100 degrees to 1873 degrees
proof and still further TO reduce it's
fusel OIL is not to change its whole
nature or to make what was genuine
whisky, imitation whisky because OF
a slightly reduced trace of one ingredi-
ent The distinction is too impractic-
able. in my judgment, for the execu-
tion OF the law"
The president thtuks such an order
as his decision contemplates cannot
do injustice.
"Those."sie gays, who make whis,
Ky of 'rectifieG,' 're-distilled' or 'neu-
trail spirits. cannot complain If, in
order to prevent further frauds, they
are required to use a brand which
shall show exactly the kind OF whisky
they are selling For that reason 1t
seems to me fair to require them TO
brand their product as whisky made
from rectiied spirits, or whisky made
from re-distiled spirits. or whisky
made from neutral spirits. as the case
may be; and ifsaged in the wood. as
sometimes is the case with this class
of vhiskies, they may add this fact"
Speaking further in the same line,
he says: THE public will be made
to know exactly the kind OF whisky
they buy and drink. If they desire
straight whisky. they can secure II by
purchasing what is branded straight
whisky. If they are willing TO drink
whisky made OF neutral spirits, then
they can buy it under a brand show
ing 1t; and If they are content with a
blend Of favors made by the mixture
of straight whisky and whisky made
of nertral spirits, the brand of the
blend on the package will enable them
to buy and drink that which they de-
sire. This was the intent OF the act.
1t Injuries no mans lawful business.
because it only insists on the state
ment of truth in the label.
"If those who manufacture whisky
made OF neutral spirits and wish to
call It whisky without explanatory
phrase. complain because the addi-
ton of neutral spirits in the label
takes away some Of their trade they
are without a just ground. because
they lose their trade merely from =
statement of the fact. The straight
whisky men are relieved from all fu-
ture attempt to pass Oft neutral-spirits
whisky as straight whisky. More than
this. IL straight whisky or any other
kind of whisky Is aged i'm the wood,
the fact may be branded on the pack
age. and this claim to public favor
NAV truthfully be put forth Thus the
purpose Of the pure food law is fully
accomplished In respect of misbrand-
ing and truthful branding"
The decision follows the lines Of
the conclusions reached by the royal
commission OF Great Britain and re-
verses the verdict of former Presi-
dent Roosevelt. former Attorney-Gen-
eral Bonaparte, SolicitorGeneral Bow
ers and Or. Wiley
The Roosevelt -Bonaparte-Wiley or
der denied the use Of the word "whis-
ky" in branding to all liquor except
straight whisky" the whisky which
is aged in charTed oak casks. Bowers
extended the use OF the word to
liquors made OF "rectifled" and dis
titled" spirits Taft goes step
farther and includes blends and whls-
ky made from neutral spirits
Alfred Lucking, attorney for the
Walkerville distillery. when told of
President Taft's decision. said.
To conn niafp victory for
II means that the label will not be
changed Our product is safely within
the bounds OF those liquors that may
cision.'