Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-02-26
FIGHT FOR. Pure FOOD Do.
Dr.. Il. w. Wiley Tells How It Has
.~~ Shown Results. 49,. !: :
BOUND TO WIN IN THE END:

e |
BOUND TO WIN IN THE END:
Prediction Of Chief Of National Chem
ieal Bureau. Who Says Nins-tsnths
Of Manufacturers Are Now Turning
Out Unadultsratsd Produots-Powsr
Of Public In. Aiding the Campaign. =
DR.. n. W. Wiley. chief Of the bureau
Of chemistry in the department OF ag-
rlculture at Washington, went to New
York recently to lecture at Columbia
university and look over the opera
lions of the New York government
laboratories in the appraisers stores
While he did not feel at liberty to say
anything about the recent overruling
of his decision that benzoate of soda
was harmful, he did say that he
thought the pure food campaign had
been successful thus far and that 1t
was bound to win in the end.
"Of course you will understand that
I cannot place myself in the position
of criticising my superior officers"
said Dr., Wiley. my. own personal
views regarding the use, of benzoate
Of soda as a preservative are known.
But my opinion has been set aside.
and now the law says that benzoate
Of soda is harmless and may be en-
ployed at will by the manufacturers.
As that is the decision Of my supe-
riors, I shall strive to uphold It as
best can.
II think we are having great success
in the pure food campaign. Both man.
ufacturers and consumers are realiz-
ing that it costs less in the long run
to make and eat nncontaminated SUBJ
stances than stuff that has been boil
stored up by coloring matter and pre-
servatlves. Nine-tenths of the manu-
facturers are now turning out un-
adulterated products. -
'The rest. am inclined to think,
will continue foisting authorizations on
the public as long as they are permitted
to do so or as long as the public
will buy what they make. After all,
when you come right down to facts,
there is no particular reason why the
spurious preserved products should
sell. They are made and sold simply
because people can be found to buy
them. In a way, then, it is the pub
lies fault. =. Let consumers positively
demand that what they buy shall be
pure and they will get only pure arti-
cles. .'~
"As matter Of fact. you don't
make anything by buying what isn't
pure. On the face of things, 1t may
seem that you do, but analysis dis
poses Of the assumption. Take the
case Of catchup, which has been much
TO the fca recently. You can buy
perfectly pure, good catchup for Is
cents a bottle. You can buy adulter-
'ated catchup for 10 cents bottle, but
there is twice AZ much catchup, real
catchup, In the pure bottle, 20 that to
get as much in the adulterated article
You must pay 20 cents. +:
s." 1.-THE only reason the manufacturers
make spurious foods is that they are.
avaricious. They can make a few
more cents by cheapening their prod
net and using less expensive ingre-
dents. But more and more, I think,
they are beginning to appreciate that
honesty is the best policy. In other.
words, the man who turns out food
that will stand the test is the man
whose products viii keep the market
longest and increase sales steadily.
4 I'm this respect it is encouraging to
note, as l said, that manufacturers
representing in numbers and volume
of business transacted more than nine.
tenths of the manufacturers Of the
United States are selling only nm
adulterated goods. recently attend
ed convention of Gamers, at which
there were 5000 delegates. Resolu-
lions were passed In favor. Of the pure
food laws, and the delegates pledged
themselves to support them. That is
proof Of the trend Of public sentiment.
"Our great hope, though, lies In the
persistent education of the buying
public. 1t cannot be emphasized too
strongly that the final decision rests
with the consumer. II he refuses to
buy impure foods no manufacturer
WIN be willing to lose his money By
making stun that cannot be sold. It
Is the gullible, the ignorant and the
careless who encourage manufacturing
Of impure food. i, III: =. y. ) :@s. tsss;s
Most Of the canned goods on the
market today are guiltless OF adultera-
ton, and steady improvement Is to be
noted in other things. such as pre-
serves, which are not sterillzed. II We
are at any rate forcing the manufac-
sturers to obey the law. For instance.
the wine producers are much more
honest than they used to be. Use Of
false foreign labelson domestic wines
Il rare. Many manufacturers have
come around To this view without mn
due pressure, and ! nm applying moral
suasion to the remaining delinquents.
IL that doesn't have the desired ef.
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