41 



sequently it is practically a dead letter. We are satisfied that nothing short of a 

 national law will effectively afford relief. 



The extent to which scientific adulteration in vinegar and jellies is carried is fast 

 freezing out the honest manufacturers, and soon there will he few pure goods left 

 on the market. 



In hehalf of the Pennsylvania Cider and Jelly Makers' Association we earnestly 

 urge the passage of a national pure-food law. Certainly no honest man can oppose 

 the passage of such a law; hut the immense capital engaged in adulteration will 

 doubtless hring no end of pressure to defeat such law. In 1879 Congress passed 

 a law granting the privilege of making low wines or weak whisky for vinegar-mak- 

 ing without the payment of any revenue tax whatever. The effects of this law have 

 heen most disastrous. 



The mills making this whisky vinegar are fitted up distillery fashion and are 

 ahvays located in the larger cities. The vinegar made from this weak whisky is in 

 its natural state absolutely colorless, resembling water. But it is artificially colored 

 to resemble cider vinegar, and is branded and sold throughout the country as cider 

 vinegar. This vinegar is made principally from corn, but there is also a small 

 admixture of rye. This corn vinegar can be made at a cost of 2 cents a gallon, and 

 after it is colored to resemble cider vinegar, is sold at a price with which the honest 

 cider-maker can not compete. But the cider-maker and orchardist are not the only 

 sufferers. 



The consumers are slowly poisoned by this artificially colored product and don't 

 know what ails them. When Congress passed the iuiquitious vinegar law of 1879 

 the numerous cider mills throughout the country began to go to the wall. There is 

 not one cider mill now where there used to be five. It was a long time before the 

 average cider-maker discovered what was the matter with his business. He looked 

 on in helpless wonder at those fellows from the cities with their wonderfully cheap 

 vinegar and such prodigious quantities of it. But he discovered finally what was 

 the matter, and for years has been trying to undo what Congress did 1879. 



A bill has been introduced in Congress at every session since that time looking to 

 the repeal of this law, but the corn men have defeated it every time. We tried to 

 get the Paddock pure-food bill passed, but without success. It was fought bitterly 

 by the vast capital of the country invested in the business of adulteration. 



From Hugo Andriessen, druggist, Beaver, Pa. : 



My next door corner grocery store neighbor sells his "pure powdered spices/' put 

 up in attractive packages, cheaper than I can purchase the whole spices at lowest 

 wholesale rates. 



He can afford to sell " pure extract vanilla" in large handsome bottles, artistic- 

 ally labeled, at 10 cents a bottle, while I, leaving the Touca beau out, have to charge 

 25 cents, and let the trade go to the dishonest dealers. These few illustrations, I 

 believe, suffice. It is the same with butter (oleomargarin), pure whisky (blended, 

 compound-flavored spirits), wines, and even tinctures, extracts, and other articles 

 of the United States Pharmacopoeia. 



From William B. Thompson, 4804 Trinity Place, Philadelphia, Pa.: 



I know of no law on our statute books which provides penalties for the adultera- 

 tion of food and drugs. The only condemnation which flagrant r.nd obvious instances 

 elicit, is the meager privilege of returning the rejected article to the seller with a 

 feeble remonstrance against the sale of immature flesh, that which is known as 

 "monkey veal" and damaged food material. 



Every State pharmacy law has a clause or clauses against the adulteration of drugs 

 and medicine, but there is no provision made for punishment. That which is 

 everybody's business to expose and detect seems to be the business or concern of 

 nobody, hence the evil continues. 



