The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-30
WHO WILL SUCCEED WILEY?
Will it Be a Friend of BenxOate of
 Soda, or Q Much Better Man?

l Chicago April 30-"Who will be Dr. Wiley's successor?'' is a question that
 is stirring up no little agitation in the
 political camps here.
 1 Will Taft. in the face of the sting
 ing criticisms that have already been | launched at the administration in this matter, appoint week-kneed, subsi-
 dized automaton who will do the food- l doper's bidding? Or, will it be man
 of backbone and grit?
 1 There is much favorable talk here | concerning H. E. Barnard, State Food Commissioner of Indiana, an uncom- promising enemy of the drugged food | interests, as an ideal successor to Wiley. The urgent question is-will Taft act now instead of letting the
 matter hang fire until after the con- | vention? And will he clear himself of criticism by appointing a man of l Barnard's integrity and strength of purpose?
 Politicians who know say that the l chances of President Taft for renom- l ination will be seriously affected by l his action in this matter.
 1 People are still talking of the ac- l tion of the Master in Chancery in the 1 Indiana benzoate of soda case which | was a direct slap at Wilson. McCabe
 and the anti-Wiley element.
 l Although the Administration went
  | fy in favor of the use of benzoate of l soda in foods and attempted to throt- tie Wiley-thus coming to the rescue | of the manufacturers who were seek l ing a sale of benzoated foods in In-
 diana-the District Courts of the Unit ed States were invoked, ana Wiley was made a witness.
 The finding of the Master in Chan cery upheld the states right to pro- hibit the sale of drugged foods; affirm
 ed that the non-injurious quality of the drug benzoate of soda was far from proved; and particularized on the hi- thy methods and rotten materials that could be covered up by the use of | this pernicious coal tar drug. When it comes to food, they are not going to have Theirs with benzoate of soda in Indiana, and the other states were beginning to question why should there be need for this special effort to gain simple health protection, when there is supposed to be Ma tional Food Law for that purpose The question is up to Wilson and McCabe. It is also up to MT. Taft.
 The friends of pr. Wiley, and he has
 rejoicing over the report by the 1n- diana Master in Chancery on the Ben 1 zoate of Soda cases. Particularly III view of the discomfture of Solicitor McCabe and the thwarting of hds plans
 in behalf of food druggers.
 comes in for the same widespread criticism as does McCabe. The Sec | retary has thrown his entire influence against the state in the controversy. Not only did he and his side. Solici- l tor McCabe, provide witnesses to tes- tify in favor of the use of benzoate of soda in preparing food priducts- he positively ordered Dr. Wiley not ! to testify against it's use. Finally l the District Courts of the United States took a hand, and ordered Wi- ley to give his testimony. The re- suit is shown in the following extract from the report in the case:
 Where factory waste, refuse, cores, skins and peelings of rotten and de- composed tomatoes are used In the preparation of tomato catsup, not being run through a sieve, they pro- duce a thin watery catsup. And such catsup cannot be prepared so that 1t will keep after opening without the use of benzoate of soda, benzoic acid | or similar preservative-In the sense and to the degree stated in the fore going findings benzoate of soda when used in food products of inferior quality is approximately sufficient ln l concealing the inferiority of such food 1 products"
 There is a strong concensus of opinion that this action in Indiana is going to be far-reaching in it's eff fects. It is bound to be. It shows l the people are waking Up to the dangers of food adulterations as they never have before. Other states will | undoubtedly follow the example of Indiana, and oust the purveyors of rotten fruits and vegetables sold un- der a deceiving label.
 The matter is rapidly assuming a political aspect in many quarters. In l fact, so strong has the sentiment be- come, famed as 1t has been by the | Indiana Chancery findings, that it is seriously affecting President Tafts 1 standing. He is figured as the friend of Secretary Wilson, and Wilson is known as the friend and supporter of McCabe, the open opponent of Dr. 1 Wiley and what Wiley stood for. And I the end is not vet