The Winslow mail., 1923-04-13

cen years old.
One of the first things that brought
attention to the subject of prepared
foods which entered into interstate
commerce was a complaint from Eu-
rope to the effect that certain foods
which were imported from the United
States were not up to the samples
shown by the American advance
agents. 1t was an American consul,
Joseph L. Britain, who many years
ago warned American preparers of
fOodstuffs that they must send ship
ments of the same quality as the sam
pies shown if they wanted to hold the
European market. Seemingly it was
recognized as bad business in thnse
days for an American firm not to live
Up to its promises. Things are said
to be different now.
II the newspapers Of the day had
printed a certain document which was
prepared under the direction of the
secretary of agriculture years ago
they might have had a dozen damage
suits on their hands within a few
hours after going to press. The sec
retary, after having a report from the
chief chemist, ignored the food cases
and got after drugs.
Queer Drug Doings.
1t was James Wilson, who as secre-
tary of agriculture, told lot of queer
stories about queer drug dOings. He
told of certain medicine men" who
would get into correspondence with
hypochondriacs and others and would
induce them to- take certain pill.
They were told that if this pill had
certain effect the patient had GER
tain disease which the maker of the
pill could cure with another kind of
a pill. The result was that hundreds,
perhaps thousands, Of persons used
Cne pill to find out if they must buy
another pill to cure a disease, the
presence of which the taking Of the
fist pill disclosed.
In the Department Of Agriculture
they analyzed some Of the medicines,
pills and the like, which were being
sold to the public. One remedy was
found to be composed Of starch paste
with a little camphOr on it to make
it smell. The patient was told to rub
this medicine on the affected part and
straightway he would get well. He
got we'll if he had that faith which
would remove mountains.
1t was the late James r. Mann, rep.
resentative in congress, from Chicago,
who had charge of the pure food bill
when it was under discussion and
Lassage in the house.
Among other things which Repre-
sentative Mann presented for inspec-
tion was a piece Of cotton cloth
yard square which had been dyed pink
by using the aniline dye which was
found in one small glass jar of Pure
Currant Jelly"
Another of the Mann exhibits was
some pepper corns, the kind that you
grind at the table In order to season
your food. These pepper corns were
made of tapioca and lamp black. Some
lreparers Of foods, it was shown, were
willing to go to any limit to make
money and to fool the public.
Woman Stands on Citizenship.
The onlooker on the doings of con.
gress and of the departments in Wash.
ington finally has become convinced
that woman has not the same influ'
ence in legislation that she had prior
to the days of suffrage.
In the old days in congress the wom-
en- could get almost anything they
eral demand for it on the part of the
Womanhood of the country. Old-time
congresses were loath to deny woman
anything she asked except suffrage
and there are plenty of instances to
prove the point.
Several Of these instances stand out
in memory. Years ago prior to the
days Of prohibition there were at the
various army posts what were known
as canteens, refreshment places under
government jurisdiction where an en-
listed man could buy a drink of beer
or light wine. The army authorities
believed in the canteen because they
said it kept soldiers on the reserVa'
tiOns who otherwise would leave to
secure the hard liquors of the near
by Saloons. The WOmen's Christian
Temperance Union was opposed to the
canteen and it sent representatives to
Washington to secure its abolition.
Established by Proctor.
1t was known at the time that a
large majority Of the members of con-
gress were in favor of retaining the
canteen as a means Of preserving army
discipline and for keeping the men con-
tented. The War department was in
favor of it, all the old commanding
officers were in favor of it, and yet
when the women appeared in the halls
of congress in behalf Of their measure,
out the canteen went.
The canteen by the way was estab-
lished when Redfeld Proctor of Yer
mont, a strong believer IN temperance