The Calumet news., 1912-10-03
Former Chief Chemist Attacks
Ex-President's Opposition to
Pure Food Law
PUT END TO ITS USEFULNESS
appointment of Remsen Board
Death KneIl of Statute

Terre Haute. Ind. oct. 2.-Dr Har-
vey w. Wiley, former chief Of the
Federal Bureau of Chemistry and gov
ernment pure food expert, made his
debut as Democratic campaign
devoted largely 10 an attack upon
speaker here tonight. His. speech was
falsely claiming credit for the pass
age OF the pure food and drug act
He announced he would support Viii
son and Marshall.
Read the high-sounding moralities
of the Progressive platform" said the
DOCTOR "and compare them with the
actual performances of its master
builder. They don't seem to consist.
/ cannot conceive OF any more wicked
and law-breaking performance. A
benefcent law-passed in good faith
by Congress-was mercilessly eviscer-
ated and the disemboweled corpse was
turned over to the Secretary of Agri
culture for dissection. The secretary
OF Agriculture, inspired by his trus
ties i'm crime. Solicitor McCabe and
Associate Dunlap. attacked the car
cass with the avidity of fasting buzz
Yards, and soon only the whitening
bones of the poor Food Law remained
as mute witnesses of it's existence"
"Arrayed against this salutary stat
ute heAi been formed the very worst
elements of commercialism that this
or any other country could produce.
Debasers and misbranders of foods
and drugs, seeking to poison the foods
that keep us well and debase the
drugs that are given us when i'll, for
years had succeeded i'm blocking legis-
lation. Standing together were those
drugging our foods to preserve them
from decay and coloring them with
poisonous dyes to make them seem
fresh, those mixing cheap substitutes
with foods and drugs to keep up their
weight and volume and deceive and
threaten the purchaser. those who.
with cheap alcohol, simulated the old
and fragrant products of the vineyard
and its dlstiling, who made beer of
cheap sugars and wine of coal tar
dyes tannin and saccharin. and those
who preyed on the imaginations of
the laymen and sold them worthless
and harmful remedies Full -bellied
and sleek-faced lobbyists filed the
hotels of Washington and used the
columns of our newspapers, eminent
professors in our colleges and uni
versities were brought to Washing |
ton to tell the committees of Congress
that all these disreputable practices
were harmless and required by the
exigencies Of trade.
No Support From T. r.
During all this time no president |
Of the United States and no cabinet |
officer ever said a favoring word for
the enactment of this law-except on
one or two occasions in a most per-
functory way Mr.. Roosevelt. in one
of his messages. alluded TO the matter
In a short paragraph without accen-
tuation. The Secretary of Agriculture.
on q few occasions in his recommend
ations to the president. called atten-
ton TO the agitation going on. But
the Bureau of Animal Industry of the
Department of Agriculture and the
Health Department of the city of
washington were active in their oppo-
sition to the measue, fearing somel
infringement of their own activities.
On spite of this Indifference, how
ever. strong support, as well as oppo-
sition. developed i'm the Congress Of
the United States. In the last years
Of the battle. Hepburn. Mann and
Richardson in the House, and McCum-
her and Hepburn in the Senate. fought
tenaciodsly and aggressively. and won.
In the autumn of 1904 Senator Hey
burn believing that a winning chance
wes at hand. asked President Roose
welt to recommend the passage of the
act i'm his message.
"The president replied that II was
OF so little consequence that 1t wasn't
worth mentioning"
Tells Of Difficulties.
DR. Wiley spoke of difficulties he |
(Coptjrued on pauo Three.)