Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
UNCLE SAM KEEPS
WATCH ON CHEATS
Adulterators of Maple Sugar and
Syrup Will Hear Something
Drop with a Thud.

Drop with a Thud.
Washington, Feb. Recent activities
Of the pure food department Of tho de-
partm"nt of agriculture Indicate beyond
tho shadow of doubt that whoever Is
concerned in the adultoration of maple
sugar aud syrup hereafter Is surely going
to hour something drop with an
ngonzins thud Attention has for some
time been called to the gross adulteration
Of this product and the department now
proposes tn take the most drastic and
stringent measures to reduce these out
RACES to the lowest possible minimum.
Dr. Wiley prOmulgutes the statement that
the article may he adultcrated to the
limit without danger to the adulterators
as long as the product remains in the
state. In, the moment it Is shipped out
and crosses the line it comes in close
range Of tho Interstate commerce laws
and every package will be carefully
examined and tested. If any adultcrn-
tion is found. the shipper will he
prosecuted to the fun extent Of the law
without mercy. Under the new system
Of testing for adl.lteranis. the experts can
determine If even an adu'teratiOn Of five
pcr cent. Is present. and if 50 much =
found the federal law win he at once put
in operation against the shipper
The department has known for some
time that mich adultoratod sugar and
syrup was coming from Vermont, and the
practice has become so harefaced and
frequent that summary action will at
once be taken The authorities are APP
parcntlv aware that certain Vermont
parties have for long time ana are yet
engaged In "rcnovating'' very poor
| qualities of maple stock ana shipping II
! throughout the country ana abroad as
the pure article, ana it now has a very
sharp eye on these gentry. The good
name of Vermont ana the credit Of one
Of it's most famous products should
| suffice to prevent such outrageous
swndlos. without the indignant action of
| tn" federal government. and it Is shame
! ful that action by the latter has become
| necessary. Now that the matter has gone
| so far ii only remains for honest Yer
! monlerS who have a pride in the good
] name II their State ana for Il product
whose reputation means everything 10
cooperate with the government and assist
t" the best of their ability in stamping
! out tho fraud
l}EEBE PLAIN PUZZLE.
/ y very peculiar and UNUSUAL condition
in tho postal service exists at Becbe Plain,
I VT, Oh the international boundary. 1t
appears that the building in which the
pcstoli.ce is located Is exactly on the line.
onc-lalf Of tho Office. being in Vermont
| side of the room {. window opens on Yer
! mont. ana few feet across from it Is
/ the window at which the Canadians buy
| their stamps. The Vermont window does
| a comparatively small business from the
fact that Il rural route runs up from the
south nearly to the village, by which the
Nermonters in the vicinity are mostly
| served, ana only few scattering resi-
dences on the fringe of Rock Island viii
| lagc are patrons of the Office
Because of this small patronage or for
| some other reason, Postmaster BAILEY de-
cided to keep the Vermont window closed
much Of the time. and for this reason his
few Vermont patrons at once began to
! twist the British lions tail and cause the
American eagle TO emit raucous screams
Their Indignation soon brought an inspec-
tor from WASHINGTON VINO investigated
the subject. found the complaints sus-
tanned by the facts and recommended that
the postmaster he suspended for neglect
of duty. Then arose Canada in its impe-
rial majesty. allowing that the postmaster
is satisfactory to them and that he is go
iig to stay. Simultaneously. they casual
~ inGuire what the United States f. going
to do about 1t anyway. Meanwhile" incl.
Samuel is chewing straw and wonder
ing. II IS certainly a very pretty problem
as II stands. hut 1t is not Yet apparent
what this government can do about II, lr
the mcaniin" the Vermont patron,
of the office are doing much strenuou,
thinking
80 PENSION LEGISLATION.
The present situation around the caplto
warrants the decided opinion that there
will be no pension Legislation Al this SEES
sion. outside the private bills and tbs
re gular annual appropriation hill. In con
sdering the matter II must be borne IL
mind that the House democrats never
would have enacted the so-callcd Shcr
wood bill If they had considered It possible
that the Senate would have endorsed II by
passage. This fact is we'll known here
and no democrat will even attempt tC
deny II seriously. In fact, il was passed
by the House in such shape in one certain
particular that it would necessarily have
70 ho amended by the Senate in order Il
properly complete It.
The House will not permit. ana has
practically served notice that no amend
ment of any sort whatsoever by the Sen
ate will be tolerated. This would of IL
self render any agreemsn. between the
two houses impossible. This Is one hol,
which the House has retained for It.
self To got ont Of or 10 crawl into, IL
case others are blocked. Another poin
against the bill sent over hv the Hous,
Is that The national treasury could no
stand the drain. Vet another j. that tn,
national Legislative committee of the
GRAND Amy. which Ia always here II
Tia" inter- SITS OF the national organ2a
lon, tolls the pension committee of the
senate that tha G. A. X. does not
want or ask for the House bill Thcs,
facts were we'll known TO the uous,
democrats. but We're ignored by then
Tor campaign purposes,
On the passage of the bill through In,
'i"us" 1t should b" noted, that The south
fern democrats nearly all y,t.J nonins