The Washington times., 1910-06-06
Witness Before Cost of Liv-
ing Committee Flags Capt.
tai Association.
DEALERS METHODS
ARE FURTHER SHOWN
Chicago Attorney for Proprietary
Association Appears In Op-
position to Bill.

Additional light upon the alleged
methods Of the Wholesale Grocers' As
sOciation Of Washington was gained by
the special food investt- t-atiOn subcorn-
mittee Of the House District Committee
today
Joseph F. Weber, 4 commercial brok-
er Of this city. appeared before The cum
TIttee and during the course Of his
testimony on the Moore bills requiring
The labelling Of food products. said that
ne had every reason 90 believe that the
wholesale grOcers had b0ycotted him.
He explained 10 Chairman Moore. IN
answer 20 questions. that the reason
FOR this was the fact that he sold 20
whom ne pleased, and not merely 70
those wholesalers in favor with the as
ISOLATION. Mr.. Weber, who represents
large tea. fruit. and canned good houses.
declared that ne had lost some Of his
wholesale customers because ha sold
% retail dealers, and thar some OF the
retailers had been forced TO quit buy
ing from him
DO YOU mean 70 say that because
you sold 20 retailers that some Of the
wholesalers refused 10 trade with you
and that you were boyCotted for your
independent sellingz" asked 0fr. Moore.
''I have every reason 70 believe So
said Mr.. Weber.
Refused Admission.
Mr.. Webber said he had been given
20 understand by certain dealers who
belonged "to the com binatiou Of job
bers in Washington" that the loss OF
their trade was due 10 hts disincIina-
t.on 20 accept the mandates Of the
Grocers' Association. He also de-
clared that ne had been refused ad-
mission 20 membership Of the Asso-
citation OF Fruit Growers by the
Washington representatives Of that
association.
Broker Weber said that he regarded
the Moore bill requiring the labelling
Of all packages OF food as an excel
lent piece OF proposed legislation, and
that the people he represented VINO
sell By guaranteed weight. anyway.
would not object % the bill. The b-Il
previously has been opposed by van
Gus manufacturing and Iobhiug in
trrests who have appeared before the
Moore committee.
Carrying a varied assortment OF chew
ing gum. pills, chocolate tablets, give
crime tablets, toOthache and a score
OF other small articles 20 be purchased
from drug stores. George l. Douglas. Of
Chicago, attorney for the FrOprierar-
Association Of America. appeared in
opposition 10 the biz.
As to Labels.
Mr. Douglass said there was no gen
eraI demand sor the labelling Of a thou
sand and one little articles In drug
stores. The customer. he declared. does
not care whether he gets forty pills or
900 pills in a certain package, inasmucL
as he is content To buy the package
To require that every small packaSe
shall be labeled will work a hardship
on hume -oUs manufactures, he said.
In answer 10 a series OF questions
by Representative Pearre and Chairman
Moore, Mr.. Douglass said that certain
industries needed regulation. and that
the labelling law would enure 70 the
benefit of the consumer Of larger pack
ages, perhaps
There is a line of demarkation, how
ever he told Mr.. Pearre, 1t IS not
right TO pass GraEuet legislation that
facturers who are Obeying the law and
whose products are bought for what
they are and not because Of a certain
number
Argument Denied.
Answering Mr.. Pearre, he denied that
his argument was the stock in trade
argument made by druggists associa-
tiOns and others against the pure food
law. He appeared before the House
Committee 10 suggest certain changes in
the pure food law before IL was passed.
admitted Mr.. Douglas. but he approved
Of the measure as a whole.
'J.ere Is no demand for such sweep
ing legislation as is proposed in this
bill, however" he said Go into any
drug store and YOU wiz find thousands
Of articles on which labels as 70 exact
number and contents are unnecessary
A man buys a bottle Of pickles. but il
is Of no interest TO know Just how many
pickles are in that bottle"