The Washington times., 1912-11-24
TREASURY MEANS f.
TO STAND PAT ON
I. TEA SITUATION
VIII Rely on Pure Food Law
Threat, and Await Move
by Importers.

% far ~ the Treasury Department
10 concerned, the general rumpus. caused
in the tea import situation BY some
Of the importers. will remain untoucned.
The department proposes to take no
further action regarding Its Import stan.
dArds or the Read test. waiting for
the importers. who caused the fuss. to
make the next move. Secretary Mac.
veagh IL relying on the threat Of un-
leashing the forces Of the pure food
law In tho Bureau Of Chemistry. should
the tea be brought into this country
and sold. to keep the said importers
from enjoying the fruits Of an apparent
legal victory over the department.
The tea situation IN SO involved that
It 10 difficult for the layman to fol-
low Il. This 10 the situation briefly:
Congress provided that the Treasury
Department should establish a stand
ard Of purity and quality for tea I'm.
ports. Under this act the Secretary
Of tho Treasury appointed q tea board
OF men In the trade to fix tho stand:
nEds =. they prevailed hoosS IN SSmmsfSia, y,
members Of the board Of general ap-
pfaisers was appointed to review the
approval Of the department. adopted
the Read test as a method for de.
ttsrminiEE the presence Of soioyinE 8 o. s
- impurities. The standards wore
fixed. The Secretary announced that
al teas showing coloring and facing
matter would be excluded.
Hswl Heard From Importers.
Then Il developed that In isolated in
stances some coloring matter had e.
capped into the standards. Some tea
With . similar very small amount of
coloring met the standard. az fixed. and
was admitted. Then Q howl went up
from tho importers who had obtained
absolutely pure tea. The Secretary.
realising the discrepancy between his
statement and the standard. sought an
opinion Of the socilitor Of the depart
ment. The solicitor said that any slight
.S. eSlSrnS f. va: insdyertenes, and did no.
q standard.
This. with the appointment Of . super.
vis,ng tea tester. to maintain one stand.
eld at all import points. and to review
coe ssos: .nnas,s %nas St ,a. these points sesd
howevF. It 10 declared. two big i'm.
porting. hrms secured some China teal
q discount because they had color.
ing matter; and sought to bring them
Was detected. and the tea rejscted
Then the importers. It 10 declared, al.
tackled the legality Of the Read ties,
a. Q chemical test. and the tea boar
Of general appraisers rendered a dc.
cision that the importers were right
ana that the Read test was not prop.
sriy and legally a chemical test.
Treasury Makes Threat.
Wheroupon the Treasury officials.
after getting over Q bit Of soreness,
said very well. 30 be II. We do not thinj,
the tea board Of appraisers 10 q court of
law. and do believe that the Secretary
can prescribe what tests he wants with.
out question: But, nevertheiess-and
this was the big threat-the decision as
made can stand. II under It the tea II
brought In the Secretary will appeal Ia
the Bureau Of Chemistry to seize il
under the pure food law. turning the
whole matter over to the Department OF
Agriculture.
Az . scare. Treasury officials believe
this to be very effective, and they
mean to do II. This IL the present situ.
alton. tho importers having the mex,
move