The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-29
Bogus and Genuine Butter.

DR.. Charles M. Cresson, the well
known scientist, says there are many
vegetable matters which are harmless
that could be used in tinting oleomar-
garine, butterine and suerine, so as to
be able to distinguish them from genu-
inc butter. He mentioned that the col
oring matter derived from the alkanet
root was entirely harmless, and if
used in coloring artificial butter in the
same proportion that annatto is used
to color genuine butter, would give it
delicate pink hue. Water street COM
mission men generally favor some
method to distinguish the "bogtls"
from the good.
Three.fourths of the butter now sold
in Philadelphia is artificial Some of
the stuff is only one half butter, the re-
mainder being common lard. In many
cases the composition is simply beef
fat, chemically treated, with no more
genuine butter in it than is contained
in axle-grease. '"The way in which
oleOmargarine, butterine, and all arti-
fetal buffers are sold" said President
Macdonald, of the National Butter,
Cheese and Egg Association, sis an
outrage upon the consumers and the
dairy interests of the country. The
limitations are sold to the butter dealers
and grocers at from 16 to 25 cents
pound, and they buy knowing exactly
what it is. Their customers are not SO
fortunate. do not know of a retail
dealer in this city who does not sell tho
artificial article as the genuine product
of the cow. What effect would it have
to compel the manufacturers to distin-
Oh 81 at o1 ha
by making the former a pink color?
Why, it would simply kill the business.
Who would buy pink butterP Not
even the boldest boarding house keep
or. 1t is ridiculous to talk about but
terine keeping down the price of good
butter. The bogus is foisted upon the
consumer at twice its value, and, in
addition. the buyer is deceived as to
the stuff purchased. Philadelphia
housewives have always been preju-
diced in favor of the print rolls. That
makes this city good field for the ar
tiiicial article. which is printed nicely.
A majority of it comes from Chicago.
though New York furnishes fair sup
! ply. II Governor Cleveland signs the
bill now in his hands, prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of imitation but
ter, the industry will be killed in that
state" President Macdonald suggest
ed that it would be an excellent thing
for butter buyers to ask the seller if the
butter WAS genuine. II the answer was
| given in q hesitating sort of a way the
customer should not buy. In short
time. he thought, the dealer would be
brought to realizing sense that he
was swindling his patrons.
A visit to several butter commission
houses on Water street developed the
information that to change the color of
the artificial article would result in q
death blow to its manufacture. One of
the largest dealers said If 1t were tinted
differently from the genuine he would
rescind all his standing orders. He
would not have pound of pink oleo-
margarine in his place only at manu-
facturers' risk. Almost Is per cent of
his sales consist of the butterines.
Thousands of families are supplied
with fancy rolls of apparently fresh
butter, for which they pay big prices.
under the impression that it is the gen.
uine article. Three families out of four
do not get what they expect, and none
are the wiser for the experience. The
big profit in selling butterine and like
compounds are temptation to the gro
ceryman, and he sacrifices his honesty
to make money. -Phiiadelphhia Record.