Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-15
UNIFORMITY
IN COLD STORAGE
Legislative Commission Makes
Public Elaborate Study of the
Situation Here

recon mmendauOnS that legislation
on cold storage in Pennsylvania
should he uniform with the cold stor-
age laws of other States is made in
the report of the legislative commits
sion to investigate cold storage. which
will he presented to the Legislature
tonight.
Business is hampered and destroyed
! by the conflict between the cold stor-
age laws of the States. the report
asserts, particularly because of the
difference in the time limit and the
branding of storage food products.
According to the report cold storage
is an equalizer of prices and the COM
mission finds that prices during the
year have been maintained nearer
level since storage became factor
than before the days of artificial pre-
servation of foods by cold storage.
The commission found that the fix
ing of arbitrary time limits in regard
to the keeping of, food in storage
means less to the consumer than the
condition of the stock when 1t goes
into cold storage. and how it is han
died after il is taken out. On TINS
point the report says:
"It was brought out before the
commission that instead of a time
limit on food it would be far better
to have inspection at warehouses with
a view of ascertaining the condition
of food when it goes in and its con-
dition when taken out
Against Branding
The report declares that most
branding laws do not accomplish
what they aim to accomplish. 1t is
asserted that all consumers must be
the judges of the quality of goods
produced. and that. regardless of
branding, he must depend largely
upon the honesty of the merchant
The commission protests against the
branding of goods as cold storage that
are kept in warehouses for short pc
riods. There is no good reason why
products, especially fish, should not
be carried over for temporary periods
in cold storage warehouses without
going into the class of cold storage
food" the report observes.
The commission failed to find any
evidences of conspiracy between the
cold storage warehouses and the mer-
chants for the purpose of increasing
the price of goods to the detriment
of the consumer. The report states
that the warehouse men are merely
custodans or property placed in their
possession, and under no condition do
they profit by reason of the abnormal
prices on eggs or any other food com
modify given to them for preserva-
ton. The fact that cold storage fa-
cilities of the big concerns are open
to any householder is brought out as
proof that no connivance to advance
the price of food stuffs is possible.
The commission found that the ac-
cumulation of food products in cold
storage. during the season of excess
products, is practically exhausted be-
fore the next season of flush" begins.
nd hn al IN ppr n
storage from the period of the great
est production to the period of short
age, adds to the food supply without
enhancing the average price.
Value of Storage
Through the medium of cold stor-
age foodstuffs can be taken out of the
market during the season of abund-
ance and held in a wholesome and
palatable condition until the season of
scarcity" the report continues, when
they can be sold at price much
less than the article of food produced
in the season of scarcity. This tends
to euualiZe prices and prevents them
from alternately falling low or rising
high as would otherwise be the case"
The commission will not submit to
! the Legislature the draft of bill
carrying its recommendation into ef-
| feet for the reason that it was not
empowered to draft such proposed
/ legislation.
Meetings of the commission were
| held i'm Philadelphia. Pittsburgh and
Harrisburg, and the investigation was
greatly aided, the report declares.
| through the cooperation of the De-
| partment of Agriculture at Washing
| ton.
Senator Charles II. Kline of Allie
| gheny, was chairman of the commits
/ sion, and the other members were
/ Senator \. +. DaiX Philadelphia
! ex- Senator j. Harry Morgan, of Eas-
| ton; Representatives Thomas f. Nc
I Nichol, OF Philadelphia, and William
I -. Walton of New Castle. and eX-
4 Representative A. W. Mitchell, of
| Eric.