The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1911, 1911-01-20
fine ADDRESS,
BY DR.. LADD
DIs~ UssED "soME PRACTICAL
ASPECTS OF PURE FOOD
LEGISLATION.

DR.. E. F. Ladd delivered an exceed.
ngly practical address before the
Fortnightly Club at Grand Forks last
week which contained many points of
general interest to the people of the
state.
The following is resume of his re-
mans taken from the GrarG Forks
Herald:
DR.. Ladd spoke rapidly and at con-
siderable length, but the time was en-.
tirely too short for him to touch on
more than few Of the items belong.
ing to the long list of subjects pertain
ing to pure food legislation and to
legislation in general for. the purpose
of protecting the consumer against
fraud and against things injurious to
health. Rapidly the speaker reviewed
the progress that had been made in the
last decade in this state in pure food
legislation. He told how the first sug
gestions for pure food law were cold
ly received, and the apparent fear on
the part Of the members of the legis-
lature that such legislation would in
some way injure their standing He
told of the determined opposition that
had come from outside manuf acturers,
and how these men had been able for
a time to enlist the support Of influ-
entail people in the state in their or
position. The first bill passed made no
provision for enforcement, and provid-
ed no funds. Then came an aprrupria-
ton of 81 500 for two year ter.n. In
the next session this was doubled and
now the state has law that is excel
lent in most particulars, and flnd
Of $4,000 yearly is provided for the
work incident to carrying out its pro-
visions. AS one Of the meaLs resorted
to render the law negatory the speak
er has been sued for libel, tie damages
being set at 100000, he has been serv-
cd with injunction papers. and 5very
possible means has beeh eiaploye.I to
render the law OF ho effect. Thus far
the department has been successful
The damage suit has been thrown ont
Of court, the injunctions had reen dis
solved, and the law was established rs
workable measure.
Various Foods Discussed.
Various classes Of food were taAer
up, and the speaker showed the chat
acter of the methods used to impose III
the people of the state f:o.:< unfit fl
consumption and to defrau:l them il
the matter of weights and measures
Jelly had been made from the otfs
from canning factories, colored will
coal tar dyes, thickened with glucose
favored with chemical extracts, an,
passed on the public rs real fru'
iell;es. Extracts had been chemical,
built up of wood alcohol and cheap an
dangerous drugs. Whiskey sold TO
medicinal purposes had been similarl
manufactured. Corn, the conlmo
field variety, in MANY eases damage
before canning, had b:en whitcne'
with sulphides, sweetenes with sac
charine, doctored with chemical pre-
ser,atives, and sent OFT to masquera1
as sweet corn. Many other illustra
tiors of this character wcr given.
The matter of short weights wer
taken up, and there wrr" gwen tn
results of an investigation in G,
Yorl; in which it was show, that tn
use of false weights an measures H.
improper filing Of measures, by i,
clu':: ng the weight OF thc packages i
the weight charged TO- ahI in othe
similar ways the people Of the stat
wer; defrauded out OF $: ',O0c,u"' III
nu lily. An effort hal ,'ecn made j
this state to correct this ny the he
weihht provision Of, the !i.. r.arA. til
speaker held that in all cases the pu1
.haser was entitl+ to Sno. not onl
what ne was buying. bat how much q
, it he was getting for his money. u
, insisted that packages shc.:! &C lahc
!. ed 40 as to denute the net content
. and tnat m;sbrand:ng sc a. to ,leeei>
as to the character .'f the arti"l
should be severely punished
He spoke Of the character Ct Mar,
, Dakota merchants, whica he said wa
! exceedingly good Ninet:: per cent q
? the merchants are honest. Five F.
| cent are uniformed or indifferent al
possibly per cent are dcliIcr.lei
dishonest. 1t is this last > per rn;
against whom the cpo1!c must prote;
themselves, and laws Such as pdi
food laws are necessarI, not only :
. a pro:e,tion against their indivi'ln'
operations, but in order to protect Il
other merchants against their unfa
compassion.
A part of the address was devoted
slaughter houses and st ,tcment. wei
made as to the revolving condition
which had BEEN found il some ease
For ne cities of considerable sire -
I4add believed the municipal! siaughts
HOUSE, &c b. necessary.
One subject treated VAS dealt vii