The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-04-04
SATURDAY. APRIL 4, 1914.
WHAT ONE MAN DID.

IIl6 power winch is inherent Ill OH
man with a backbone like a steel ram
rod. and right on his side, is almos
unbelievable. Yet North Dakota ha
an example of what one man can ac
complish under such circumstance
Ten years ago the markets Of tn,
United States were flooded wit
fraudulent paints. Chemical analysis
showed that some of these paints. il
fact many Of them, were nothing NOR
nor less than mud-Iargely clay ant
/ water.
The situation was realized through.
out the chemical laboratories Of tn,
nation but the paint manufacturers
were so firmly cntrenched and hac
such a grip on the market, that it hat
come to be looked unon as an estab-
lished evil, that could not be cured
therefore must be endured.
There was one man who n.fused tC
sit back, and let the people be de-
frauded without a protest, however.
This mar was E.. f. Ladd. pure food
commissioner of North Dakota. lie
got a law passed in North Dakota
compelling the paint men to yut on
their labels exactly what was in their
cans Of paint. SO called.
The paint manufacturers were furi-
Gus. They rallied their powerful fore
@E n put up 4 tremendous fight but
practically single handed, Ladd fought
back and he licked EN- 20 a frazzle".
In fact he revolutionized the paint
business of the United States.
The Paint. Oil and Drug Review for
March IS quotes the remarks Of DR..
G.. w. Thompson of New York, a.
leading paint authority in America, at
the indianapolis meeting Of the Asso-
citation Of Master Painters and Dec
orators Of United States and Canada,
following the paper by Professor Lado,
showing what is thought of Professor
Ladd's work. DR.. Thompson said:
I don't know that l can add very
much, or say very much in sup
plementlng what DR.. Laid has
said. We all know the origin that
Or. Ladd gives, how it came to us
almost like a bullet from u clear
sky. Conditions We're such that
@Y%s ANAASi SiI 4LlS O"h lIlllltllNC,
brought abou change Of legisla-
ton, and we all over this country
were surprised when the thing
happened. The legislation in
North Dakota has been severely
criticised from various quarters,
and yet If we think Of what that
legislation has accomplished, think
ot the Improvement hat has been
MADE in paints generally during
the last eight OF ten years, if we
mink OF the improved one in the
paint manufacturing business. if
We think of all the efforts which
nave been put out in the last eight
years. say. In the study of uaint
problems, l think we can say that
tHe !eslsiatlon which was adopted
In North Dakota produced effects
or a phenomenal character, far be-
yond n conception that DR., Ladd
mad at that time, l am quite sure.
ana far beyond the expectation
tnat anyone else had throughout
the country.
In other words, the manufac-
EuFers or paints have been driven
70 recognize a condition that there
mas grown up in this ountrv a
moral sentiment in favor Of honest
n better goods. I don't. know
Mr. Chairman. that l shall saw
anything more than this, because
this, 1t seems to me, is the monu-
mental work which DR.. Laid has
aohe; Thls association has advo-
Gated the extension Of Dr.. Ladd's
work and the passage in other
states OF similar legislation. That
may be good or may not be good.
Ehat Is for you to decide; you have
decided in favor of it. But this
IS the important point, and 1 say
WIN apolosies to DR.. Ladd, who
- IN my presence and in the pres
ence Of his meeting, that am
confident that the law of North
dakota would v have been the
success 1t has been if it had nor
oeen Tor DR.. Ladd. (ApplauseS
And sometimes I have fear of sim
1iar legislation in other states thar
might be In the hands Of men that
we're not as upright, n who did
not have the integrity of purpose
that DR.. Ladd has had. Nov when q
we think that in that state of |,
North Dakota this. Legislation |.
started, this movement for nure /
paints or better paints began, and
we think how this one idea has
worked its way through all the |.
people IN this country engaged in
the painting industry, 7 think wa
must be overwhelmed with the tre~
mendous force of the moral q
I11aent which DR.. Ladd gave ut- Is
serance to at that time and which d
nas gone on spreading throughout L
the country. 1t did not start at II
washington and cover the whole IL
country; it did not star. in one Of Ii
the old established states, but it 3
was 5tarted in one of the new i
states, one of the sparsely settled
states Of u union. 1 don't know
where the next movement Of this
Kind ma start, not along paint
legislation, but along some other s
line, but I would not be surprised
1t 1t were started in North Dakota s
IN reference to other matters; T *
would not be surprised If it were ]
started in some place similarly OUT e
OF the way, because the great NOR
al force behind the idea is The I
thing that carries 1t forward, no
matter where it starts. And in Il
those clear atruosJheres Of North =
Dakota perhaps we find the neces-
sary conditions to bring forth
those great moral ideas. =.
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