Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-02-19

InwhoIeS0me Authorizations.
One of the NEST noteworthy acts
of the comparatively new Depart
ment OF Agriculture, has been the
creation of the office of Chief Chem
list and the selection of rs competent
and active man rs DR.. Harvey W.
Wiley to inspect food products and
if necessary inform the public as to
what injurious substances they are
placing in their stomachs. Fine
progress had been made in checking
the use by the housewife of some sub
stances that had been used as pre-
servativeS of canned fruits and vegc-
tables. and the work was going
bravely on when the doctor suggest
ed that catsup could not be kept
palatable, indefinitely. without a
modicum of benzoate of soda; that
boric acid had special affinity for
preserves and that 4 variety of
chemicals. from simple sodium chlor
ide to sulphuric acid, all harmful in
excess, were masquerading in some
of the most popular food products.
Instead OF thanks-even from peo-
pie who received the benefit
Wiley has been numerically scored
by the manufacturers of shelf goods,
and q referee board of chemists has
been induced by the manufacturers
of these goods, to- declare that BEN
zoatc OF soda is perfectly harmless.
in ordinary doses.
Aye, there is the rub-in ordinary
doses. Who is to determine the
precise quantity of these crystals
that preserve and impart pungcncy
to catsup, or render it harmful to the
human stomach? And if it be true
of this substance already placed I'M
der ban, who shall determine wheth-
er an analine dye, to color, or that
sulphuric acid iudicially sprinkled on
potted ham to give piquancy, is not
a palatable stimulant-in moderate
doses, of course.
1t is said that the effort of these
manufactu rcrs extends so far as to
attempt the removal of DR.. Wiley,
which show how far the sordid, sell
fish impulse may go when aroused.
The safeguards to public health are
ruthlessly set aside when science di-
reefs q halt. This, of all reasons,
should impel the retention of man
with the courage to invade terri
tory that he doubtless knew invited
a conflict backed by numbers and
capital
How GREAT Is THIS, Our CAESAR!
A few weeks ago. when Congress
asked the President to furnish the
information gathered by Commits
sioner Herbert Knox Smith, relative
to the merger of the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company with the United
States Steel Corporation, the Presi-
dent CURLY informed them that they
had no use for the 1ata, as the mat
had been acted upon and was q closed
incident. The act creating the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor
empowers Commissioners of Corpora
tiOns to gather such data. one class
to be of general character. and an
other confidential, which may be
made public at the discretion of
the President. Commissioner Smith
when called before the committee
testified that he had not procured
any information for the President,
under the latter classification, but
had considerable data of 4 general
nature. This being true, the COM
mittee demanded that finding, but
Mr.. Smith by direction of the Presi-
dent. declined to produce the papers
and the President took them into
his own keeping. AS the President
is not subject to process. papers in
his individual possession are i'm
mune, and the founder Of the An
anias Club can now gyrate his fin
gers 1T his nose with the inquiry,
What are you going to do about
it," tits sequel in keeping with
his advancement of Paul Morton to
the position of Secretary of the
Navy, after he had been found guilty
of rebating while President of Ger,
tain railways, on the ground that it
was the system" that had violated
the law and not its official head.
Oh Consistency, thou art a jewel!
LIPPINCOTT is one of the few high.
priced magazines that seems to be
able to maintain it's rank in first
grade literature without q concession
to the popular demand for cheapness
involvg incorresponding reduction o.
merit. Subscribers become SO at.
tached to Lppincott, it is really diff.
cult to let its monthly visits lapse.
A leading story. complete in each
number, is feature that meets with
very general approval. "A Knight
Errant in Broadway" one of these,