The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-07

whether known as oleomargarine, butter
inc, suine, or by whatever other name it
may be called. That bill has become
law and it will go into effect July l. The
law provides for a commissioner, at q sal
airy of $4,000, and 100000 is placed at
his disposal, TO be used in enforcing the
law. The prohibition is copy of the
Missouri law, and is contained in the fol-
lowing words: "No person shall manufac.
ture out of any oleaginous substance or
substances, or any compound of the same,
other than that produced from unadulter-
ated milk, or from cream Of the same, any
article designed to take the place of butter
or cheese produced from pure, unadulter.
ated milk or cream of the same, or shall
sell, or offer for sale, the same as an ar.
ticle of food" The penalty is fine of
not less than 800 nor more than $500, or
imprisonment for not less than six months
nor more than one year, or both such fine
and imprisonment. The New York Times
says:
"The trade In sham butter has lived and
grown by means Of deceit until at least forty
million pounds OF deodorized lard, cotton-seed
oil, and other kinds Of grease, preserved by
nitric acid and other chemical agents, have
been sold in this state in one year under the
name OF butter. The profits have been large,
and the retailers have made great deal of
money by unloading the stuff upon their pa
irons. Knowing that these laws OF which we
have spoken were worthless representatives of
the states great dairy interests and of thou
sands of cheated and angry consumers decided
to apply the heroic remedy provided in the
prohibitory bill. The evidence taken by the
committee Of investigation seemed to prove
that no other remedy could accomplish the de-
sired result. Not only had consumers been led
by the most contemplate deception to eat forty
million pounds OF sham butter in a year, but
there was reason for belief that the stuff was
unwholesome and injurious. Ii is manufac-
tured under no restrictions except those which
are self-imposed by the maker. An honest
manufacturer may use good lard and carefully
select his other materials; but another manu-
facturer, desiring to make as much money as
possible, may use lard that can be used for no
other purpose, for it was admitted during the
investigation that the patented process would
preserve and make palatable even aged and
offensive fats. The legislature has decided
that an industry that thrives only by fraud,
that has already seriously injured the state s
| udlry luloToSIS, anu tlldL places vi lU6 DdTk6I,
under false name, product that may plant
in those who eat 1t the seeds of fatal disease,
may very properly be suppressed by law. The
Lawmakers have been heartily supported by
the consumers, who were poweress to protect
themselves"
A correspondent at Aurora, Illinois, re.
Gently gave the readers of THE WATCH
MAN some interesting particulars about
the manufacture and sale of suine, or but.
terine, in the West, and of the deceptive
character of the article. The manufac.
ture and sale of the fraudulent article is
universal. Uniformity of action by the
states will be necessary effectually to drive
out the sham and protect consumers. No
doubt large quantity of the detestable
product is sold in Vermont, and thousands
of her citizens are eating deodorized
lard, cotton-seed oil, and other kinds of
grease, preserved by nitric acid and other
chemical agents." who think they are con-
Stunning the product of the pure, unadul.
terated milk of Vermont kline. Protection
to her dairy interest, the great interest of
the state, as we'll as defense of her people
against a fraud and imposition that may
carry in it the seeds of lifelong suffering
and death, will demand prohibitory law
from the Vermont legislature. 1t is a
matter which the people should be consid.
ering, and they should make their desires
known to the next general assembly.