New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-24
WILEY TELLS Of HIS WAR
Pure Food Legislation Fought by
"CommuniSm of Greed"
THE INTERESTS" LINED UP
He Explains Obstacles Overcome
in Congress, and Shows What
Law Has Done.

Philadelphia. Nov 23.-The methods
adopted by food adulterators were exposed
and tho workings q the pure food and
drugs law were explained tonight by Dr.
Harvey w. Wiley, chief chemist Of the
Department of Agriculture, and other
speakers who have taken part I'm the cru
sade for pure food The large hall Of the
American Academy Of Political and Social
Science was filed MayOr-elect Rudolph
Rlankenburg presided and Dr. Samuel @.
Dixon. Commissioner Of the Department
of Health Of Pennsylvania, led the discus
sion
DIT Fritz Reichmann. superintendent or
weights and measures for the State OF
New York and Harry p Cassidy special
agent for the Pennsylvania Department or
Agriculture. gave many instances from
their experience 10 show how the public
has been imposed upon. Mr.. Cassidy
urged publicity as a remedy for indiffer-
ence on the part of manufacturers.
Or. Wiley told how tho special inter
ests" got together and blocked the enact
ment Of the pure food bill, which some
times passed one house of Congress only
70 be killed in the other. Friends Of the
| ID.
creation Of public opinion which would
emphasize the necessity for its passage so
strongly that even its opponents could no
longer obstruct IT.
This great fight he said. went on, for
more than a quarter Of a century before
! the passage the act of June 30, 1906" The
unethical spirit of commerce in foods and
drugs he asserted had been wholly re-
formed and the character Of foods and
drugs offered for consumption had been
immensely improved.
These effects have extended not only TO
foods and drugs" he added, but to cor
related business interests, and now the
people are crying for enactment of pure
! food laws for all forms Of merchandise.
The hope Is not idle that before many
years all forms OF business will be con-
trolled by the ethical spirit which ami
mates the food and drugs act" He con-
tinued in part as follows:
The keen competition of trade led men 10
debase the wares which they hoped 10 sell
at the price OF the genuine article. II the!
did not debase the genuine article they
made an imitation OF 1t, which they oIered
under the name Of the genuine article. II
they did neither they misrepresented the
qualities Of the article ascribing to it VIZ
q
The conscience of the people was scared
as with a hot iron, and these practices were
boldly conducted by men who would have
spurned any imputatiOn Of dishonesty or
crooked dealing and yet every one OF them
was getting money under false pretenceS
and was much a thief as II he had gone
upon the highway in the good old-fash-
Toned Robin Hood manner.
The fight for pure food was night against
the communism Of greed. All the Inter
ests' stood together. They felt that II one
was sacrificed all might go; hence every
movement which was made to correct this
condition of affairs by legislation was met
with the united and thoroughly controlled
lobby representing the interests Of every
description which were thriving on the sale
Of adulterated and misbranded foods and
drugs These interests did not fight In the
open except on rare occasions. They tried
10 conceal their identity and their purpose
and usually appeared as friends OF pure
food and drug legislation, and thus urged
certain amendments or verbiage which. IL
adopted. would have let out the offenders,
one and all
If they could not succeed in this. they
brought substitute bills with a show Of
honesty and vet full % flaws favorable to
corrupt practices They never for mo-
ment ceased their active opposition. and to
the legislator who did not look under the
surface their arguments seemed somewhat
plausible and were for many years efec-
tive.
4 bill is pending for pure food" law
for paint and 80 Il extends from one realm
OF commerce to another.