The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-05-28
Bogus Butter.

A rare example of Legislative clap.
trap is witnessed in the passage by
the New York Senate of law to
prohibit, under heavy penalties, the
manufacture and sale of substitutes
for butter. This, of course, would be
very pleasing to the New York Gran
gers, if it could only be carried into
effect. There is already law in
New York, as well as in MANY 9th
States, which, if vigorously enforced
would protect producers and con-
sumers alike from the extensive
sales of the fraudulent substitutes
for butter This law requires that
every package containing oleomarga-
rine or other similar preparations
shall be plainly marked, and pro-
vides for the punishment of persons
making fraudulent sales of the same
for butter. AS this law has been
permitted to fall into contempt, the
New York Senate proposes one still
more impracticable, and which could
be enforced only by gross violation
of personal rights.
The power of the State to prohibit
the sale of these preparations, if nec-
essary for the protection of the pub
lie health, may not be questioned.
But it has been proved that oleo-
margarine, butterine, and the rest OF
these substitutes for butter are not
more harmful to the consumers
than the lard and tallow of which
thew are made. These chemical
compounds may be of great com
aercial value for other uses besides
their substitution for butter. What
right, then, has the State to prevent
their manufacture and sale? The
wrong to the consumer is done only
when they are passed on him for
what they are not. But it is very
easy to prevent this species of fraud
without so violent a measure as the
prohibition and sale of commodities
that are not hurtful to the public
health.
There is no doubt that the farm
ers in New York as well as in Penn
sylvania, have suffered much by
the competition Of this substitute
for dairy butter, but it is no business
of the State to protect It's citizens
from competition as long as it is
not associated with fraud. 1t ap-
pears from the testimony of a good
Raany witnesses that this artificial
butter is often found to be better and
more palatable than the dairy but
ter with which it competes. The
State has Just as much right to pro-
hibit the making of dairy butter as
to prohibit the manufacture of oleo-
margarine. The absurdity would be
no greater or less in the one case
than in the other. The New York
bill only shows TO what ridiculous
lengths lawmaking can be carried
in this land O1 the tree ana home OF
the brave.
As has been repeatedly shown,
there is in most OF the States, New
York and Pennsylvania among the
rest, enough law to,punish the fraud
ulent adulterations of food. But
the machinery for the enforcement
Of the law is what the State Legisla-
lures take especial pains not to pro-
vide. The reason is that the adul-
terators of food and drink are toe
powerful an element in the State
for the lawmakers TO offend. In or
der, then, to cover up the cOwardice
OF the Legislature, or perhaps TO
pinch manufacturers of oleOmarga-
rine, parade is made of such bills as
this OF the New York Senate. There
can hardly be a Granger in New
York so stupid as not to be aware OF
the utter futility of a Measure like
this. But let it be proposed to es-
tablish, in connection with the po-
lice system, chemical laboratories in
New York city and in several other
cities of the State for the detection
of frauds in food, and there will be
none of the eagerness for its passage
that is witnessed in regard to this
oleomargarine bill in the New York
Senate. 1t is as much the duty of
the State to establish these chemical
laboratories for the detection of
fraud in food as to maintain police
for protecting the property OF citi-
zens from pickpockets and burglars.
Yet as this is the only method for
putting an end to food adulterations
it is carefully evaded. Some Of the
Grangers who are now urging the
New York Legislature to prohibit
the manufacture of oleomargarine,
would be loud in their protests
against such an invasion of the rights
of the citizens as the establishment
OF laboratories for the detection of
fraud in butter, cheese and other
commodities. But these laborato-
ries, thoroughly manned by compe-
tent and conscientious chemists, are
the only police force that cali hunt
down the fraudulent adulterations of
the food of the public.