Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-25


There be few men so entirely wise us
not to do Mt times very foolish things. Mr..
Secretary Bliss is not an exception to this
and of this he has given most striking
proof in becoming involved in n discus
sion in the Ohio Fdrmer, on colOring butter,
with western woman signing herself
Dot" as sharp and intent on the bust
ness on hand as wash in August. Bee
low is how she Dots" him in the last
number:
EDS. FARMER Permit me to reply
through these columns 10 the recent at
lacks made by Mcssrs. Bliss and Wall,
with reference to my article on coloring
butter in Farmer of Feb. 3. Let me thank
them for the fair showing they have given
me, and let me hasten 10 assure Mr. Bliss
for fear he should make unnecessary
sacrifices of his valuable time and labor in
my behalf-that | could not think of as
firing to the Office of teacher. | prefer
remaining pupil, searching after truth,
maintaining honest principles and expos
inc fraud and deception whenever il is
brought 10 my knowledge. Permit me
also to say, that, had my illustrious OPP
ponent, with his great attachments and
high office, acted upon the same princi
pies, he might have added more luSre to
mis- name during his Centennial lAborS.
Mr.. Wall prefers the charge of abuse.
Let him Or any interested reader take the
articles that have appeared in the Farmer
on his subject, read Them carefully in
their order, and then say that had not
cause to talk plainly, Let me quote from
0. s. Bliss article in December 9th issue:
" 1t is so very customary for persons
who write and talk about dairying to con-
Tenn the very things they practice, that |
rarely pay any heed TO their animadver-
5ions against coloring { airy products"
Was this, with other false insinuations
in this article, to be passed over in silence
because, forsooth, we belong to the weaker
sex? The Western spirit of free and equal
rights would not permit it, and pervcrSe
human nature asserted itself, whether
wisely or not we will not discuss.
" Is it such Il crime to color butter arli-
liciAlly?" asked one of my opponents. Let
me answer in Vermont style:
LIST. Why is it necessary to cover the
act so as to defy detection" if artificial
coloring is n benefit, Or even no injury to
butterP
81. Is artificial coloring used to pre-
serve the quality of butter, or to enhance
its price in the marketP
Our opponents have yet to produce the
first argument of proof that this coloring
is of any benefit to the butter, save in de
ceptive appearance, by which II financial
value is gained which, intlinsicaIly, it
does not possess According TO such
sophistical reasoning it were Just as well
for II carpenter to use second or third rate
lumber for building purposes, trusting to
putty and paint to cover up the defects;
the end would justify the means.
Let us apply WebStcr's definition of
" fraud" to this practice of artificial color
ing: raud.-Deception deliberately
practiccd with IL view to gaining an un-
lawful or unfair advantage; IL fraudulent
procedures; n deceptive trick"
Now, let us give question from an un
known author, relating to the point in
question: Lie not at all, neither in II lit
tie thing nor great, neither in word nor
deed. That is, pretend not what is false
cover not what is true. For in blrgAinS
you are to avoid to not only what is false
but also that which deceivcs."
Since the subject has been under discus
sion we have taken pains TO inquire of
both dealers and consumers how they
stand in regard to this question of natural
VS. Artificial color in butter. and we have
yet to find one person in favor of the color
ed product Even the persons who make
Il practice of coloring their butter, frankly
admit that for family use they leave out
coloring matter, and only color that which
is to be sold. Hotel proprietors emphati-
cally object to the use of colored goods,
and laugh to scorn the idea of not being
able to detect the difference. Colored
cheese can easily be distinguished from
uncolored, both by sight and taste, and
why not butterP Not long since, a gen
tlcman speaking of these colored goods
gave bit of personal experience, in which
he had suffered sufficiently to cause him
to be wary in future, us regards the eating
or newly cut colored cheese. He said that
from such cause he once had the most of
the skin taken off of his mouth and thropt.
in consequence Of which he was obliged to
live on "spoon victuals' for week or
more. As annatto (coloring matte) is cut
with potash, its properties for eating into
the flesh are by far the stronger when
cheese is first cut than after being exposed
to the mir for Il few days. 1t butter color
ing is cut with potash as l have been told
it is, then most assuredly its presence in
butter will materially affect its keeping
qualities, eating ont all the life and relish
and leaving an article which would in
time become drug in the market.
With natural coloring no such result
need be apprehended. There will he no
necessity to ship it us soon rs manufactur
ed to retain its best price. Improving with
age, it will prove a safe investment for the
purchaser, and will reflect credit upon the
one who manufactured it in accordance
with its true merit or excellence.