The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-27
WHISKY TO BE WHISKY
President Taft Renders Decision on
Points Long in Controversy.

| Washington, Dec. 2E.-Whisky is
whisky, President Taft has at last de-
creed.
| 1t is whisky when made of neutral
I spirits, says the president, if reduced
| to potable strength But it must be
branded SO that those buying it may
know just what they are getting.
| The decision is made after long
series of hearings participated in by
members of the governments pure
4 food department and diStillers.
/ The president covers various details
| in his decision and gave directions for
| the proper branding of various varie-
/ ties of liquor, holding among other
| things that whisky made from mix
| ture of straight whisky and 'neu-
1 trail spirits may be called a blend.
| According to Mr.. Taft's instructions
| straight whisky will hereafter be
| branded as such, but the brand may
| be accompanied by the legend "aged
| in wood" and whisky made from rec
] titled, distilled or neutral spirits viii
| be branded so as to make known the
principal ingredient.
In addition, if they so desire, manu-
| use the word bourbon" or rye" as
| the facts may warrant.
The definition of blends" is not
made broad enough to include neutral
spirits made from molasses and re-
duced to potable strength. This ar
| ~
| labeled as whisky; it is rum.
The president takes DR.. Wiley and
| other chemists to task for funda-
mental error" as to what the name
whisky has included during the
past 100 years and also expresses the
opinion that Mr.. Bowers makes too
nice a distinction in his deductions.
If" he says, speaking of the opin-
| ion of Mr.. Bowers. high wines at
from 40 degrees to $50 degrees
containing very small quantity of
fusel oil and favored by burned sugar
are whisky, as he has found, when
the mere improvement In the process
by continuous distillation SO as to
give product of from $50 degrees
to 1870 degrees proof and still further
to reduce its fusel oil is not to change
| it's whole nature or to make what was
genuine whisky imitation whisky
because of a slightly reduced trace of
ingredients. The distinction is too
impracticable, in my judgment, for
the execution of the law"
| The president thinks such an order
as his decision contemplates cannot
do injustice.
Those" he says. who make whis-
ky or 'rectified' 'redistilled' or 'neu-
trail spirits can not complain if. in
are required to use a brand which
lshall show exactly the kind of whisky
they are selling. For that reason il
seems to me fair to require them tc
brand their product as whisky made
from rectifed spirits, or whisky
Il made from redisti1led spirits OF
whisky made from neutral spirits az
the case may be; and, If aged in the
wood, as sometimes is the case with
this class of whisky. they may ado
this fact
1.-The public will be permitted te
know exactly the kind of whisky they
buy and drink. If they desire straight
whisky they can secure it by purchasing
what is branded straight whisky II
they are willing to drink whisky
made of neutral spirits, then they car
buy it under a brand showing it; and
if they are content with blend OF
flavor made by the mixture of straight
whisky and whisky made of neutral
spirits, the brand of the blend upon
| the package will enable them to buy
and drink that which they desire. This
was the intent of the act 1t Injuries
no mans lawful business because il
| only insists on the statement of the
4 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 addition
of neutral spirits in the label takes