Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1910-01-06
Says Taft Whiskey
Will Not CO
In Texas.
SO DECLARES DAIRY AND
FOOD COMMISSION.
DaIIy Ezprsss AuslIn Bureau.

Daily Express Austin Bureau.
Austin. Tex. Dec. 28.-Dr. j. S.
Abbott. State Dairy and Food Com.
missioner, made some TaEl whiskey"
at his room in local hotel tonight in
ten minutes, and incidentally notified
recli6ers that the State Of Texas will
not be bound BY the ruling Of the Pres
idenl defining legal whiskey.
The whiskey he made looked,
smelled and tasted like ordinary
liquor served in bar-rooms. yet had not
. been distilled, as provided BY the Tex
slaw. DR.. Abbott had few friends
NJ rs room to demonstrate what the
President does not know about whis.
Key
Dr.. Abbott has siezsd some Of the
whiskey legalized BY Talts definition.
and it will stay siezed and tried in
cour.. IN the meantime Warwick M.
Huff Of, ST. Louis, general counsel for
the recther. has asked for a hearing
BY the Governor Attorney General
and food commissioner Of Texas. and
is expected here within the next
few days, L is to be expected that he
will insist upon the release Of the con-,
demned shipments, and the recogni-
ton Of the recti6ed stuff. which Dr..
Abbott will not consent to.
The Taft whiskey made tonight was
concocted from ethyl alcohol or neutral
spirits diluted to potable (drinkable)
strength with water colored and Aa-
vored arli6sislly It was colored with
caramel or burnt sugar and favored
with q dash Of genuine whiskey and
'usel oil. though other Aavors are used
So some brands which have been
seized ia Texas, such as prune Juice,
I glgoefiaee. eic. Only about ten min
utes was required to make it and the
product looked like the real article to
delight a booze fighter
ln a quarterly report to the Governor
Dr. Abbott discusses the Taft de6ni-
ton and brands it absurd. His dis
cussion is most interesting as it is both
plain and to the point. Part Of it reads
as follows;
he public will doubtless not be in
ted in a detailed discussion on
s opinion. The follow ing glaring
ardities Of his opinion. however,
Tract some attention Mr. Taft is
reported BY the press as saying:
Neutral spirits. reduced to potable
proof. arli6ciuly colored and Favored,
: Is whiskey. Z
eutral spirits made from molas-
lcej 70 potable proof. artificial
! and Favored, is rum.
fore. according to his own
rum is whiskey. and whis-
b. For every chemist that
ahed in these courts Of inquiry
ding what is whiskey has agreed
tits impossible by any process Of
aination, chemical or otherwise, to
difference between a neutral
de from grain and neutral
ado from potatoes, molasses or
5aocharine spirits. The phrase
fal spirits also indicates this.
II the spirit is neutral. as il is.
when thoroughly recti6ed II is simply
ethyl alcohol and no human being up
to this hour has ever claimed it is pos.
sible for him to tell the origin Of neu-
iral spirit This magnificent blunder
81 the President is not surprising when
he Volunteers a scientific opinion on
scientific subject and takes the chem
ists to task when It is well known that
he has never laid claim to Hkining in
scientific subjects.
Texas will continue to q eiorce the |
exas food and drug act according to
se provisions Of the act as upheld BY |
e courts that have ruled on this
ich discussed question.
0r. Abbott says real whiskey should
se the aromatic principles. which |
q only be had By aging il eharred !
pen casks and must be at least four
gers old, not a fifteen minutes compo-
p. In Texas ii must contain at
a per cent alcohol. must not be
red with burnt sugar or other ard-
'loring. must Be at least four
ID and must not contain added
glycerine or aromatic subslanc-
is against the law to adullerale
3 with waler as It is to treat
bat way. The United States
aeopoela defined whiskey as the /
ton Of the mash Of fermenied