The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-09-30
By KENNETH WATSON


r. ADDISON, Wis, Sept. 3O.-The
IM most feared man in Amer
Ill lea, as far as INSCRIPTIONS
interests who seek to force adulter-
ated and misbranded food products
upon the country are concerned, Is
John Q. Emery, State food and dairy
commissioner of Wisconsin.
Emery is one of the men who
fought shoulder to shoulder with
Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette in
his fight of twenty years ago to
raise standards of Wisconsin food
products and laws. One of the few
survivors among the original La
Toilette men" Emery. although 81
years old, is still a power in Wis
consin.
Emery gained national prominence
in 1909, when at the famous "bat-
tie Of Denver" he fought the de-
cision Of the Remsen board, appoint
ed by President Roosevelt. which
claimed that benzoate of soda was
not harmful as a food preservative.
Agrees With Wiley
Previously DR.. Wiley Of the United
States Agricultural Department, fol
lowing experiments by his poison
squad" had found that the chemical
was deleterious to health.
Emery arrived at the same con-
illusions and vigorously fought the
big food interests of the country
when the Government let down the
bars on benzoate of soda following
the 1909 convention.
Fighting with Emery was Or. Err.
win Judd. now United States Sena
tor from North Dakota.
Although use Of benzoate Of soda
in food products is now permitted
under interstate commerce, Emery
was successful in his battle to pre-.
vent its use in Wisconsin. Not an
article Of food can be sold in Wis
consin now that contains benzoate
of soda or other chemical preserVa.
tive.
Another great battle which gained
an envlable reputation for Emery
came soon after Governor Lii Fol
lette appointed him food dairy com
missioner in 1902. La Toilette and
Emery succeeded in enforcing n law
making it Illegal to sell oleomarga
rins In Wisconsin as yellow butter
Emery Wins Fight
The great packing interests op-
I'osing the law carried the fight
through the state Supreme Court
but Emery won out.
Now If any one buys oleomarga.
rine in Wisconsin, he gets It at oleo.
margarine prices, and he can order
butter without fear Of getting any.
thing else" Emery stated.
La Toilette and Emery early
waged war on the practice then IN
universal use throughout the nation
by which butchers freshcned old
meat by use of chemicals such rs
sodium sulphite. After Wisconsin
passed a law forbidding its use, meat
dealers showed signs of revolving.
Emery promptly sent inspectors
into every market in Madison. All
but three dealers were arrested and
heavily fined The raid was followed
by one or two in nearby towns and
the butchers, seeing that Emery
meant business. Stopped the adult II.
alton and sold pure meats.
Anntb.c lg~~ -
'nr so-called corn syrup" which in
reality was IS per cent glucose and
Is per cent sorghum.
No Doubt About Stand
No one can doubt where Emery
stands regarding La Toilette.
IT am a La Toilette man from the
top of my head to the bottom Of my
feet" he exclaimed fervently, for
know the fight that La Toilette
has made and is making against cor
rupt government.
II had hardly started as food COM
missioner when big business men
that were being affected by the new
laws came to La Toilette to COM
plain about me. He refused to
listen to their complaints, but re-
ferred them all to me.
During all the time he was Gov
ernor, not once did he interfere
with my department. I know that
La Toilette did not seek the office
because 1t was a good job, but be-
cause he wanted to do the neODIa a
service"
Recently Emery piloted a battle
resulting in the enactment of the
.so-called Wisconsin filed milk law
which forbtds the sale of condensed
skim milk to which cocoanut fat has
been added. Emery successfully de-
Tended this law in the State Supreme
Court.
Today Wisconsin leads every State
in the Nation in dairying, an in
dustry that last year brought S247,-
215, 900 into the pockets of it's farm
ers and manufacturers.
Twenty years ago the sale Of dairy
products commanded less than one
fifth of that amount. Most of the
elit for the sensational rise is
given by the citizens of the State to
La Toilette and Emery because of
their score of years fight against
adulteration and for efficient laws
to pro .ect the industry.
TT