The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-01-17

and the practice ended by which the
public is compelled to pay the regu'
lar price of oysters, 40 cents per
quart, for water and so-called juice
Recently q woman went to Commits
sioner Foust's Office with vessel con-
tanning oysters. She had paid 40 cents
for the contents. On examination 1t
was found that there was less than a
pint of oysters. The rest was ice and
water. The pure food law forbids the
addition to any article of food of any
substance cheaper than the original or
anything that will adulterate it In any
manner. Some fish dealers are in the
habit of buying oysters and filling up
the tubs with ice. The ice melts, and
the resultant water is sold to the GUS
toners as juice. Under the law the
customer is entitled to oysters pack
ed as closely as they will lie to-
gether.
Commissioner Foust has informed
the dealers of the laws requirements,
and any dealer who finds himself In
the clutches of the law for adding ice
or water to oysters will be prosecuted.
If the dealers want to avoid trouble
they should sell their oysters from
the original packages and place the
ice around the outside, as the law re.
quires.
Milk Dealers Pay Fines.
The conviction of nearly 400 milk.
men for violating the milk law en-.
acted by the legislature last spring
has had a wholesome effect upon the
dealer who regarded that law with in.
difference. During one month the new
milk law was put to the test in POI
towns in fifty-two counties. In 211
towns there were violations, showing
that there was vast need for law
establishing standards of milk and
cream purity in the state. Agents OF
the department discovered that many
dealers secuted the law when they
heard of its existence and continued
to adulterate their milk and cream,
feeling certain that they would not be
detected.
Milk dealers in many communities
had system by which they were
promptly informed of the arrival Of
the state agent and thus were en-.
abled to conceal their practices. Re-
Gently the pure food agents have
worked so quietly that they were en-.
abled to secure samples from these
violators without being suspected. The
first intimation the men who watered
their milk had came when they were
invited to the magistrates office to
pay fine of $25. They paid and de,
cided that in the end 1t would be more
profitable to sell real milk and cream.
Now that the pasture months are
closing and the price of butter has
advanced the oleo man renews his
smile. Lest he forget the past and
the householder be uneasy, a warning
word comes from the dairy and food
commissioner. The legislature permits
the sale of oleo, but only such as Is
kept free from all coloration causing
it to look like yellow butter The SUI.
perior court, in an opinion written by
Judge Rice, has declared that the law
prohibits the sale of oleo made in re.
semblance of butter, no matter by
what process this coloration is Sc.
cured Upon this decision the com.
missioner takes his stand. The legis.
lature regarded this provision so i'm.
portant for the protection of the con.
sumer and of the honest dealer and
butter maker that, despite great pres
sure, 1t refused at the last session to
strike 1t from. the law
Convictions In oIeo Cases.
Cases brought by Commissioner
Foust before the courts of Schuylkill
| Northampton and Venango counties
for violations of the oleo law have
been terminated by the conviction OF
| the offenders. Judge Kennedy, of AL
legheny county, recently sentenced a
dealer to pay a fine of $1,000 and for one
years parole for second offense. Ii
| Is significant that of all the federal
! oleo licenses issued in Pittsburg b.
| the internal revenue bureau for the
year beginning July |, 1911, not one
was sought for the sale of colored
oleo, that is, of oleomargarine colored
| by added dyes. This is a marked i'm
| provement in district where in recent
! years many federal licenses were issued
Ger the sale of such oleo, illegal In
Pennsylvania, and where "moonshin
ers" sold great quantities of dyed oleo
without taking out either federal OF
| state licenses. The food bureaus agents
have been instructed to visit every store
| in their respective districts and vigi
lantly see to it that the law is obeyed
During Governor Tener's admins
tration, embracing the period from
bureau analyzed about 5000 food sam
pies and prosecutions to the number Of
about 1000 were started These prose
cutions were based upon violation OF
laws regulating the sale of eggs, dopeC
fruit syrups, ice creams low in fat
jard, fresh meats drugged with sui
phites, milk low in fat and containint
formaldehyde, non-alcoholic drink.
,Weetened with saccharin, poison. anC
Including ginger ale containing pepper
foods adulterated in various ways. in
cluding oleomargarine, fresh sausage
containing -four and water, vinegar
distilled or colored and other products.
The campaign for pure food doe!
not cost the taxpayer dollar. On tht
contrary, although not intended to bt
revenue collecting agency, the state
bureau is more than self-supporting
During the period of January to Octo
Der the dairy and food commissions
collected in fines and from othe
sources S110,294. The total disburse
ments of his Office were $64,50S. AL
receipts of the office are turned into
the state treasury for the use of tn,
commonwealth, the expenses of tn,
bureau being paid from a specific ap
preparation made by 'tc legislature.
Coronation Graft.
The practice of running the foun
tains and conduits with wine ON coro