Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-25
TILT OVER BENzOATE
Secretary Wilson Accused at
Pure Food Convention.
REMSEN REPORT DISPUTED
Association President Says Depart
ment Blocked DEMONSTRATION.
DEFENDED BY ILLINOIS MAN
Secretary's Efforts Against Impure
Food Commended by Commits
sioner Jones.
REMSEN REPORT DISPUTED
DEFENDED BY ILLINOIS MAN

DENVER, Col. August 25.-The dele
cations to the convention of the Associa-
ton of State and National Food and
Dairy Departments suspended all busi-
ness today until tonight to give the visi-
tors trip to the mountains.
Tomorrow it is expected the benZoate of
soda question, which yesterday resulted
in a difference of opinion between Secre-
tary of Agriculture James Wilson and
j. Q. Emery of Wisconsin, president of
the association. will again come up At
that time DR.. Ira Remsen, chairman of
the referee board which reported to the
government that benzoate had not been
found to be harmful as a preservative. is
expected to speak.
Tonight the speakers are to be DR..
H. E. Barnard, state food commissioner
Of Indiana, and DR.. e. F. Ladd, state
food commissioner of North Dakota.
That the adulteration of food will soon
cease in this country and that the REM
sen referee board appointed at the in
stance of President Roosevelt to inves-
tigate the use of benzoate of soda as q
preservative would be sustained by his
department, were assertions of Secretary
Wilson at the opening of the convention
yesterday.
ALIdCA Oh S6CIcLdIys
Secretary Wilson's remarks followed a
bitter attack by ]. Q. Emery OF Madi-
son, Wis, president of the association.
Pointing his finger at Secretary Wilson
Mr.. Emery disputed the report Of the
Remsen referee board that benzoate had
been found unharmful, and then accused
Secretary Wilson of having urged Presi-
dent Roosevelt to block a reinvestigation
of the subject.
Let me say" declared Secretary Will
son, jumping to his feet, that If we had
money enough in Washington to employ
DR.. Ira Remsen and the other four chem
lists on his board we should try to get
them into the Department of Agriculture.
| have told the President that we want
the biggest men in the country in the
department. or the department will cease
to grow, and when 1t ceases to grow l
don't want anything more to do with it.
I'm glad to see you have invited DR..
Remsen and other members of the board
to appear before you. l trust you will
give them fair hearing
why shouldn't we give them a fair
hearing?" shouted Mr.. Emery. This in
situation comes with poor grace from
the Secretary, when we recall that it was
he who blocked our request to have ben
Zoate of soda reinvestigated."
Il don't quite know what you mean,
said Mr.. Wilson.
Ready to Quote Letter.
We'll, Mr.. Secretary. have your let
ter in my pocket" retorted MT. Emery.
I'm it you recommend that our request
be not granted"
will you allow me another word?"
interposed the Secretary. IF you will
recollect, you gentlemen. just prior to
that time, at your convention at Mack
mac, condemned all of us down in
Washington, and 1 did not think you
were the right material to make a SUI
preme court out Of
Secretary Wilson, who described him
self as IAN interested spectator" and
A. II. Jones. food commissioner of Illi-
nois.
I'VE in Illinois believe there is no
more faithful and useful servant of the
people than Mr.. WILSON, declared Mr..
Jones. His efforts to drive poisoned
| help to every state commissioner in the
Union"
| In his address Secretary Wilson said:
From President Emerys report you
might infer we have done nothing down
| in Washington. We are endeavoring to
possible. showing lenity where honest
mistakes are made. We have instituted
many criminal prosecutions and seized a
great quantity of impure stuffs. We
have investigated the milk supply of Chi
cago. Kansas City, st. Louis and Gin
try of imported foods found to be i'm
pure, and all the time we are devising
means of making the law more perfect.
We hope to have our department CO.
operate with the various state depart
ments. I am convinced that 1t will be
only q short time before the adulteration
of foods in this country will cease alto
pether.h