The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-26
URGES PASSAGE
LABELLING MEASURE
GOVERNOR STUART. IN MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE, HITS AT
FALSE LABELS.

Governor Stuart submitted the fol-
lowing message TO the general assem-
bly,. in interest of bills pending in the
legislature:
To the General Assembly of Virginia:
l deem it my duty to urge upon
your consideration senate bill No. 22T
and house bill No. 1870, designed TO
raise the standard of purity and germ
nation of agricultural seeds, and to
give the purchaser an opportunity for
information as TO wtat he purchases
by requiring tag or label on eaen
package of ton pounds or more, con-
tanning certain facts as to it's contents.
1t would seem that the farmer is en-
titled to have specific information as
to the germl1ating qaulity of the seeds
he buys, which may be comparatively
free from weeds and yet low in pro-
ductivity.
Il also call attention to senate bill
No. 455 and house bill No. 24S, reg
ulating the manufacture and sale of
paints spirits Of turpentine and linseed
oil and substitutes and limitations
thereof. The necessity for such legis-
lation is apparent to those who have
observed the impositions practiced on
! the users of these articles in this
STATE. Inc tIlNSSllSatlbfl ny AlS
committee on manufactures of the
United States senate disclose the wide
spread practice of some manufacturers
to misbrand and adulterate paints. tur-
pentine and jinseed oil. Analyses by
government and State chemists reveal
the fact thai large numbers OF these
commodities are worthless limitations
of the real article
False and deceptive labelling is free
1V ind,lUp6 in Shirts fnrnanttne
are aduiterate vita petroleum oils;
linseed oil with water. mineral Oil,
menhaden Oil. corn and cotton seed
oils. Paints with no white leftd. but
containing chalk, barytes or !sther
cheap substitutes axe sold to the un-
suspecilns users as Pure products
Packages ure Improperly marked as to
the weight Or v,';me 1T contents. The
shortare in weights reaches at times
as much as % per cent The loss to
the users of paints is not confined to
the price, fer IL the cost of material
must be addict the cost OF labor of
application, and the extra cost of
pr paratIon Of the surface to which
aduiterated paints have been applied,
when the pure paints are subsequent
~ used.
Twenty or more States have laws
regulating the trade in these COM
m odities and If Virginia fails to pro-
tect by law her citizens from fraud and
Misrepresentation in their purchases
/ OF these articles the State will continue
to be a market for the unscrupulous
manufacturer to dispose of products
that cannot be legally sold in other
| States. The master painters desire
the enactment OF efficient legislation on
this subject, the honest manufactures
should welcome it as giving him as
surance of the elimination OF unfair
/ AT II an
of these articles is entitled to the pro-
lection the proposed bill affords. The
companion oils now before the legis-
/ lature apparently contain no drastic
! provisions, but should give to the user
Of turpentine, linseed oil, paints and
su institutes a fair assurance that he is
getting what he pays for
Very respectfully submitted.
| II. c. STUART.
| Governor.