Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-09-21
colorad Tea Rule viii Stand.


press dispatch from New York
saws that all efforts that may be made
to change the ruling of the government
concerning the importation of artif-
ciallv colored teas will meet with fail
ure and quotes Chairman Hewlett Of
the tea inspection board as saying the
hoard will oppose all such efforts. 1t
is intimated that certain western in
terests have requested Secretary of the
Treasury MacVeigh to- reconsider his
recent decision, but Mr.. Hewlett says
he knows nothing of this, says St.
Louis Interstate Grocer.
Oliver Macy, also a member of the
board, says that Notwithstanding the
fact that he opposed the exclusion Of
colored teas, and only reluctantly
agreed to the report submitted by the
other members of the board when the
onestion was under discussion, he
would not favor changing the rules at
the present time. 1t would be unfair,
he said, to the producers of Japan,
Ceylon and India, who have already
complied with the requirements of the
United States government.
1t has been learned that Secretary
MacVeagh had fatty refused to re-
open the colored tea controversy when
requested to do so recently. In the
trade it was made known that the So
called "western crowd representa-
tives of which were the principal advo-
Gates of the colored tea prohibition,
are now working most earnestly for
the repeal of the rule. These western
tea merchants are accused of trying to
adjust the government tea regulations
to suit their business conveniences.
| N . 81 Lo+
men who declared that colored teas
ought to be excluded, and who prom
ised to furnish Chinese teas "uncol-
ored," are now unable to make deliv-
cry for the reason that the Chinese
producers have not yet turned out any
teas in compliance with our regula-
tions; and, judging from present indi-
cations are not apt to change their
methods if they can help it.
The United States and Canada take
approximately three Fights of the en-
tire output of Chinese teas. AL
though the season is more than half
over, the shipments to this country so
far have been only nominal. One out
of-town importer is expecting a con-
signment in the near future, which, he
says, comes up to the requirements,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Shanghai tea men admit that none Of
their green teas are free from color
This importer is trying hard to make
good his promise that he would supply
the trade with uncolored teas. So far
he has not had much success, and his
customers are bothering him to deliver
their orders.
An interesting fact in connection
with the colored tea controversy came
to light a short time ago when it was
! discovered that the samples adopted as
standards at the last meeting of the
tea board contain coloring matter.
These samples were adopted after
western member of the board assured
his associates that the samples were
reliable.
cit would be unjust and unreason-
able to change the law at this time,''
said Mr.. Hewlett, chairman of the tea
! board. "Most everybody seemed to be
J anxious to have colored teas shut out
from the country, and their wishes
were respected. The tea business has
been adjusted accordingly, and the
japanese government, for one, has is
sued an edict prohibiting the produc-
ton of artificially colored teas 1t is
; only China that has not changed its
methods, but when she comes to realize
that she will lose the business of this
country unless our rules are complied
with she will probably take measures
to turn out teas suitable for our mar
I ket"
Mr.. Macy said that he was the only
member of the tea board who was OPP
posed to prohibiting the importation OF
2 colored teas when that decision was
rendered at last years meeting. He
favored the labelling of artificially col
ored teas, but did not think they ought
to be excluded. "At the same time, -
said Mr.. Macy yesterday, ct should
strenuously oppose a change in the law
at the present time should an attempt
be made to adopt the old regulations
Our business has probably suffered
r more than anybody else's as a result
A OF the prohibition of colored teas. but
!, IN spite of that fact would not vote in
+ FAVOR of restoring the old rules. Tt
would not be fair to those countries
which are shipping teas to the United
states IN compliance with our new reg
3 ulations.''