Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-04-14
Butter and No Isnifer.

N. Y. Tribune, 10th.l
The arrival Of a congressional sub
committee in this city to investigate
the process of making olemargarine,
aud a public dinner with oleomargar.
Inc as a concomitant, mark a new point
in the dispute with the makers OF real
butter. There has been much wordy
debate, which left the matter about
where the disputants found it. Gen
orally speaking, if we say that butter
is butter and that oleOmargarine is
oleomargarine, We shall state the case
with all necessary equity. 1t may also
be admitted that good oleomargarine
is better than bad butter. Moreover.
the more honestly the former is made.
the more scrupulous the cleanliness
exercised in its production, the more
careful the selection Of sound, sweet
and healthy fat from which it is to be
obtained, the better will be the pro-
duct. Undoubtedly there are many
people who could not tell butter from
oleOmargarine, or who, if they
detected any difference, would
not consider it to be of the
least Importance. But these same
judges would be no closer critics ofbut-
ter itself. Neither their palates nor
their noses are very nice. They eau
not tell whether eggs or oysters or
meats are fresh or stale. Such people
are not particularly interested in the
dispute. But there are those of more
delicate tastes, and of nicer senses
generally, who would be naturally
offended if the dealer should put
them off with one thing when they
distinctly bought and paid for quite
another.
Admitting all that is said in favor of
o%lemargarine, its purity, sweetness
and healthiness, nothing whatever can
be honestly offered in defense Of its
sale as butter. If oleomargarine be re-
garded as a cheap and healthy substi-
tute for butter, there is not a word to
be said against its sale as such. The
whole point is to keep the two sub
stances absolutely distinct in the
market-as distinct as lard is from
butter. Honest manufacturers will
brand the ole~omargarine plainly but
honest retailers will do something
more. They will state to their Gus
toners which they are selling. They
will put up placards inscribed BEST
fresh oleomargarine, very cheap And
in time customers will learn to
call for it, instead of asking for butter
at all. Sold in this way, the new ar
ticle may prove what one gentleman
at the institute called it, "a boon to
the community" Sold in any other
way, there will be a reasonable sus.
picion of unfair dealing.
The public ought to be a great deal
more suspicious Of frauds and sophist-
icatiops in articles Of food than it real
ly it is. There is q great Of cheating
going OF oOnstantlyf for which the com
munity has only to thank Itself. Some
times there IRE exposures, and for
awhile no little excitement, at which
dishonest dealers san afford to laugh,
for they know that it will not by any
means last forever. We do not believe
that a single ad%ulteration, which did
not prove too expensive, has ever
been abandoned. All this shows the
necessity Of constant vigilance in pur-
chasing. No law can protect a buyer
who will not protect himself. Let the
public determine to act with reason
able care, and it need not be alarmed.
Caveat emptor, which being interpret.
ed signiies-Let the buyer beware !
IT'S an old rule OF the common law
and as good as ever.