New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-13
Npxy voRx Many TRIBUNE, TUESDAY FEBRUARY H. 1883

Refined cane sugars were pronounced cleaner
than in former times" but the fraud now
practsed Is the addition of glucose, which is
also used largely in confectionery with Terra
alba and yellow chromate.
There is abundance of this kind OF evidence
in the book to confirm the general belief that
the practice of adulrerating food ana drugs Is
carried on TO a great extent to the INJURY Oh INC
public health, and also to the injury OF public
morals by encouraging fraud. We look IN vain,
however, to find the record Of the prosecution
of single one of the grocers or druggists who
sold the adulterated articles. Ii ought to be
the duty of the State Board of Health to make
ii better use of the evidence it accumulates than
merely to print it in book. If it called the at
tention Of the DIstrict-Attorneys or other pros
ecutng officers to these frauds, the fact should
have been mentioned.
1t is hardly worth while to pass laws if they
are not to be enforced. In fact, every act that
is VIGOROUSLY disregarded without the inflctOn
of any penalty should be repealed without de-
Law; otherwise it tends to create want OF re-
spect for laws in general. A fragrant instance
of this open violation of law is found in the man
ufacture and sale of OleOmargarlne, butterine,
and lard -cheese. Not satisfied with the general
act of 1884, and previous legislation in regard to
the adulteration of food the Legislature of
1882 again took up the subject 1t passed no
less than four separate bills to prevent the sale
of imitation or adulterated bntter and cheese as
the genuine articles. As might be expected,
these acts conflict, though they are all now on
the statute books. Chapter PA makes the
cooring of oleomargarine and lard-cheese in
imitation of butter and cheese respectively
punishable by fine and imprisonment. Chapter
215 repeats 81 with variations prohibiting the
imitation In color of genuine butter, and ap-
plies TO keepers Of hotels, restaurants and
bOardng-hou as we'll as makers and dealers,
but prescribes a somewhat different penalty
from the previous chapter half oil the line to 20
to rho informer and half to the poor. Chapter
23S provides that every person who manutac-
lures for sale or offers for salo or exports any
substance in semblance CT butter and cheese,
mot the legitimate product of the dairy"
shall brand the same "OleOmargarine BUTTER
or imitation cheese" rs the case may be, in
Roman letters not less than One-halt inch III
length There are various penalties attached
TO this act. Still the Sulons at Albany were not
satisfied and enacted Chapter 2I6, providing
another penalty for "any IersOn who shall
thereafter sell either at Wholesale or retail any
oleOmargarine, butteriue, suine, or other sub
stance not butter and represent the same to be
"butter"
After all this legislation it might be supposed
that the person who sells imitation butter or
cheese for the real article would be severely
punished Not So however. If any prosecu-
tions have followed, they have been concealed
from the public. But recent investigation IN
this city shows that the evil is greater now than
ever before. Three firms in the State are man
ufacturing oct, 900 pounds of oleOmargarine per
week. nearly all of which is consumed within
its borders. Over 20,OO0000 pounds of
oleomargarine butter and about 100000
! pounds of lard-cheese were manufac-
tured in this State last year. Farmers
are buving it to mix with their butter in
order TO get small share of the immense
profits which some "anti-monopOlY grOcers
are rcapng Besides, n large amount of butter
| ia sold adulterated with lard and cOttOnseed
oil In the upper story of n poIk-packing
establishment in this city 1000 pounds OF larded
butter are manufactured every week. large
dealer in this city nfiirme tEat one-half the
butter sold is either adulteratcd or imitation.
The number of retail dealers whe sell the lmi-
tation articles for what they really are car be
counted on ones fingers And yet the statute
books are loaded down with laws to prevent
| this wholesale fraud, while honest farmers and
| dealers are being crowded out of the dairy
| business.
PERSONAL.