The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-21
WHOLESALERS
AGAIN ASK FOR
FURTHER TIME
WANT COMMISSIONER OF AeRI.
CULTURE TO POSTPONE DATE
OF ENFORCEMENT OF PURE
FOOD LAW TO 1sts-TRAMMELL
FAVoRs THE eRocERs.
Special to The Journal

| Tallahassee, Fla, Sept. 2o.-Tuesday
morning at o'clock in the ONCE of
the commissioner of agriculture there
came on for hearing before him and
the state chemist the matter of post
ponement OF the date of the enforce
ment Of the provisions of the pure
| 1900 and drugs law, chapter sl22, acts
| OF the legislature Of 1911.
Ihere We're more than forty whole
salers. Jobbers, manufactures and re-
taflers who came to Tallahassee last
night on special car from Jackson
vile, Tampa and other points to ar
que this matter before the commits
sioner Of agriculture and TO show
cause why immediate enforcement Of
this law should not be made. The
delegation was headed by J. H. Nc
Laurfn, secretary of the Jacksonville
Wholesale Grocers' Association.
This law provides that II shall be
unlawful for any person to manufac-
ture, sell, keep or offer for sale, with
In the state Of Florida, any article
or food, drugs, medicines or liquors
which is adulterated or misbranded.
or which contains any poisonous or
delettertous substance. That part Of
the law in which the grocers are In
terested is that dealing with mis-
branding" This act provides that
any package containing an article of
| drugs or food is "misbranded" when
there is a printed label on such pack
age containing a statement that IL is
any way misleading, or which is
| falsely branded as to the state. terri
| tory or county in which II is manu-
| featured or produced. The package
must have it's net contents stated In
terms of weight or measure, con-
spicuously, legibly and correctly, on
the outside of the package.
The effective date OF this law was
| August 3. 1911. but a great protest
went up from the jobbers, wholesalers
and manufacturers against the inn
mediate enforcement of the law, and
the commissioner of agriculture was
asked If he could not postpone its
effective date. Consequently, on July
II, 1911. he granted the jobbers and
manufacturers from Pensacola, Jack
hearing. And in his circular No. 2,
under date Of July Is, 1911, he as
snmes the authority to amend the
| above act OF the legislature with re-
gard to its effective date and under
the following regulation:
Net Weight and Measure.
1st.-The net weight and measure
| shall be "conspicuously, legibly and
correctly" stated on the outside of all
lard, cottolene Cor similar compound).
cooking oils. syrups, on and after Sep
TENDER ], 1911; that printed 'stickers"
viii be allowed on such goods then on
hand, TO which they are applicable,
which will protect the same till sold.
See Regulation 20.
2nd.-1'hat stocks Of canned goods.
vegetables, pickles. baking powders.
Jelies, preserves, etc., In cans or bot
ties, on hand Aug. 8, 1911, or con-
tracted for fall delivery in 1911, If In
full compliance with the state and
federal laws and regulations, prior to
Aug. 3, 1911, may be disposed of till
Jan. /, 1912. That printed "stickers,"
showing the met weight or measure"
Of such goods applied before Jan. I,
1912, shall protect such goods actually
delivered in the state prior to Jan.
LIST. 1912, until sold.
1t is noted that these complainants
have already been granted further
time by the commissioner of agricul-
ture until Jan. /, 1912, to dispose OF
their stocks now on hand and con-
tracted for 1911 delivery. In their
hearing today all representatives ask
ed for further extension of time for
effective date of this act to Jan. /,
1913. After a lengthy argument by
these representatives from Q o'clock
until noon, Attorney General Tram
nell was called upon by them to ex-
press an opinion as to whether or not
the commissioner of agriculture had
the authority to grant this further
extension Of time. Mr.. Trammell
stated that he would not like to give
his opinion without first looking into
the matter, but that he would say that
the laws enforcement was imprac-
ttcable and impossible and would be
embarrassing to and work a hard
ship upon the grocers.
Commissioner McLin in explaining
his position said that he would not
give his decision in the matter at the
present time, but would take the mat
ter under advisement. That there
may be defects in the law. and as is
the case with the enforcement of
every law some ones toes viii be
mashed, no doubt, in the enforcement
OF this one. But he said he is an
executive. and this law was passed
by the legislature and placed in his
hands to enforce; that it is his de-
sire TO do justice to all and do in
jury to no one, and In addition to the
wholesale and retail grocers there are
the interests of thousands of con-
sumers he is sworn to protect.
State Chemist Rose expressed him
self as being opposed to further ex-
tension of effective date of law.
matter Mr.. McLin stated that in the
extension of time already granted he
had to rely upon the integrity of the
ones ii would effect. That If they did
not honestly enter into the spirit of
its intent, the law would be violated
in that they would buy and contract
for other goods, which were not prop
erly labeled according TO law, after
they knew that this law would be-
come effective. In connection with
this statement Mr.. McLaurin stated
that if they were granted until Jan.
l, 1913, to dispose of all unlabeIed
goods bought and contracted for prior
to the knowledge of this law. he
would secure from all jobbers, whole
salers, retailers and manufacturers
doing business in Florida signed
pledges that they would not after
this buy or contract for goods that
were not labeled in accordance with
the law.
The meeting then adjourned, and