Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-31

and Conditions Observed
81 the EatiOn'E Capitol
! A batch OF reports from the pure food
and drug bureau OF the Department OF
Agriculture turns some light on the activi-
ties Of the government in enforcing the
law and the manner in which makers and
dealers cheat and imperil the lives OF con-
sumers. Short weight, adulteration. doped
food, poison and false labelling were some
Of the means employed. In all the con-
victlons secured the penalty ranged from
small fines to confiscation or destruction
of the goods. A shipment Of preserves from
Houston, Tex, each jar. according to the
label, containing "one fun pound" had but
fourteen ounces and cost the shippers the
goods. Connecticut firm paid fine OF
S10O for misbranding packages Of camphor
and like sum was extracted from the
treasury Of a Georgia summer drink fac
tory which neglected to mention on the
label that the dope carried cocaine. A
Washington patent medicine factory put out
nerve tonic warranted to cure any old
nerve, mentioned that It contains no
poison" though found to have arsenic and
strychnine. The goods were condemned
and destroyed. A like fate met ''fermented
apple cider vinegar from Toledo, o., made
VI hNCbG oNlut 0ANAAASlhlg COtoINas
The most imposing literary effort in label
production encountered by the authorities
enclosed bottles of Mothers Friend" an
alleged medicine compounded at Atlanta,
Ca, and warranted to cure all the ills Of
womankind. The mixture was found to
contain IAN oil and a small quantity Of
soap" The goods were condemned and the
firm warned to tell the truth on the label.
Cane and maple syrup from Denver had
on the label the words, cane and almost
invisible and the makers were induced by
fine OF $50 and costs to make the print
visible A brand Of pepper put out by
st. Louis firm, consisting chiefly Of ground
fruit stones and pepper shells, brought
fine of $50 A dozen instances of adul-
terated milk and ice cream prosecuted in
the District of Columbia netted fines rang
ing from SO to S25, Boston sent conslgn-
ment Of "dessicated eggs" padded with
formaldehyde. to New York, and were
found so strong on reaching the latter
port that they we're destroyed. The goods
were headed for a bake shop. Doped cure
alls, frightened into obscurity two years
ago appear in the limelight as deadly and
brazen as ever. Failure to mention in the
label that the goods contain cocaine, the
correct percentage Of alcohol and the
dangerous acetanilid, cost the makers or
dealers from SIS to $50 each. Penalties in
most cases of first offenders are moder-
ate, but should the makers or dealers be
called to account a second time they will
get all that the law allows, with board
and lodging thrown in.
The autograph fad has always been mani
fest in Washington just a little more than
anywhere else perhaps, on account of the
assemblage Of greatness. Just now the
craze seems to have taken a new turn. II
is not enough for the faddist to send in his
book to Speaker Cannon or Vice President
Sherman, or some other notable of the
capitol, but 1t has become a common thing
to ask for "ghost" or Skeleton" sigma
lures
Occasionally tolerant senator or repre-
sentative will consent to write his name
on a piece Of paper in heavy ink, then fold
the paper across the middle OF the sigma
ture to see what sort OF a nondescrlpt
figure the ink has smeared itself into
Most OF the. personages, however, draw
the line on ghost autographs even those
who are willing to adorn the autograph
book Of some fanciful wanderer.
Say you" cried a real regular repub-
lican, pointing an accusing finger at
genuine, untamed democrat on the floor of
the house on the historic Saturday after
noon just after the excitement was ali
over. Il know what's the matter. 1 know
why we have been beating each other to
death today. 1 know why we have as
saulted the speaker. I know why there's
b1OOA nn he rgr =
why somebody didn't think of It before"
Tell me, little one" demanded the demo-
crat, cupping his hand behind his ear and
feigning acute attention.
Why" gurgled the real regular republi-
can, this is William Jennings birthday"
Discovered" bawled the genuine, I'M
tanned slappng his forehead in we'll slmu-
lated agony. And then, laughing like a
couple Of kids they locked arms ana
chased off in search of a drink.
The republican was right. 1t was Mr..
Bryan's birthday. He is 20 years old.
'If senators really need the services of a
rubber and a scrubber," says the Washing
ton Post, "if they would be sweeter and
cleaner for these mlnistrations, they should
not be intimidated by the cry of insurgents
and economists. There is nothing wrong In
having masseur, unless he rubs too hard
or rubs the fur the wrong way Certainly
the senate cannot be accused OF grating in
favor Of any particular clique, for II must
be assumed that no senator would need
the services of a scrubber more than an
other. The insurgents cannot pretend that
they are so immaculate as never to need a
scrub, nor should they charge that the
regulars or the democrats are beyond the
redemption OF a vigorous scrubber.
"Of course, there must be an honest ef-
fort to cut down expenses by $500, 100000,
and by dispensing with a masseur a start
will be made Still there is a lingering
doubt somehow, that the move is advis-
able. If cleanliness is next to godlness
It Is certainly preferable to penuriousness
The country might criticise senators II 1t
should get the idea that they were sy-
barites, lolling in debilitating luxury
| the sons
OF Belial, flown with insolence and wine
But the senate could not indulge In ex-
cesSive luxury on the proposed expenditure