The Washington times., 1912-03-28
MR.. TAFTs ,REcALL OF DECISIONS" !"

Miss Alice Lakey, chairman Of the food commit
tee Of the National Consumers League, has address
ed to President Taft letter demanding the Recall
Of DR.. Wiley to his Office with power actually to
force the food laws.
She insists, moreover, that Secretary Wilson
and Solicitor McCabe must be removed from the de-
partment before Wiley can possibly do effective
work.
But this is not the most interesting suggestion
that the National Consumers League has put for
ward. In addition to proposing to recall DR.. Wiley,
II is opening new discussion Of the recall Of de-
csions," that places President Taft in a most un-
comfortable position. The President has been pecu-
lary horred at the proposal for recall Of decisions
by the people He has in it the subversion Of
institutions and the wreck of liberties.
Wherefore, the Consumers League people, TAX
ing UP his decision in favor of the makers of mita
tion whisky, find that in this ruling the President re-
called the decisions Of President Roosevelt Attorney
General Bonaparte, Solicitor General Bowers and
SEVEN FEDERAL COURTS.
The showing is most remarkable Under the
Roosevelt Administration, the what is whisky?"
question was long acute. 1t was finally settled by
Mr. Roosevelt himself, who approved an order d.
recting that imitation. whisky should be labeled as
imitation whisky. The public was not to be buncoed.
Failing to get immunity at this point, the recti-
fers and the big Cincinnati and Peoria makers of
what had been officially held to be imitation whisky,
went into the courts. SEVEN TIMES THE ROOSE-
WELT RULING WAS SUSTAINED, AS FOLLOWS:
August "a, 1908, in Federal court at Cincinnati.
August 27, 1908, in same court, strong supple
mental opinion refusing a rehearing.
United States circuit court for southern Illinois,
later in the same year. completely sustained the
Roosevelt ruling.
February 4, 1909, United States Circuit Judge
Cochran at Richmond specifically ruled that the stuff
which Roosevelt had ordered to be labeled as imta-
ton whisky exactly that
August II, 1908, the Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia broadly sustained the Roosevelt
ruling
July l. 1908, the United States district court for
western New York completely sustained the Roose-
welt rulings
The Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
by decree in case United States vs. four barrels OF
liquid purporting to be whisky" held that the con.
tents imitation of whisky.
October %, 1908, Federal court at Baltimore
broadly sustained the Roosevelt ruling that imitation
whisky was imitation whisky, and must be so labeled
SEVEN FEDERAL COURTS ALL LINED UF
IN FAVOR OF THE ROOSEVELT REGULATION
NOT ONE DISSENTING COULD A MORE COM
PLETE CASE BE MADE FOR THE SATISFAC
| TION OF so DEVOUT AN ADMIRER OF THE
FEDERAL JUDICIARY AS PRESIDENT TAFT?
is 1T POSSIBLE THAT MR.. TAFT, so HOR
ROR-STRICKEN AS HE HAS BEEN WITH THE
IDEA OF THE PEOPLE RECALLING DECISIONS
COULD HIMSELF RECALL THAT STRING OF
| SEVEN?
HE DID JUST THAT.
On December 27 l909 he rendered decision
setting aside all these court decisions, and rul
ing that imitation whisky might thereafter be label
ed whisky" without any qualifications whatever.
Mr.. Taft had recalled seven Federal court de
cisions at stroke; but he is certain that ber
ties would be wrecked if the people were permitte
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