The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-10
IMITATION BUTTER,

The Legislature of New York at us
present session passed Il law, and on Satur-
day Gov Cleveland approves. it, prohibiting
the manufacture and sale in New YORK OF
oleomargarine and all other imitation nut
,ers The penalties for violating tn" law
are quite severe, and rs the dairymen OF
that state are numerous and IN earnest
no doubt the determination is that the Ia"
shall be rigidly enforced
But is such legislation right Every
body knows what oleomargarinc l.. ~ Is
4 preparation from suet, 50 manipulated
that even good judges are unable TO tell II
from real butter The highest scientific
authority has pronounced il aN nutritious
and wholesome as any other butter ana
though five millions Of pounds have been
annually sold in New York alone, and
more than half the butter consumed IN thc
last few years all over New England has
been of the imitation sort, no case has yet
been shown where the slightest INJURY I"
health has resulted from its use. Those
enpaped i'm the trade aS well a~ the con
sumers have preferred it TO the mass
stuff that used TO find its way To the mar
ket as pure butter, but which was largely
so bad in quality that it had to be thrown
into the sea or used as grease. Not one
pound in Il hundred it is notorious, OF even
the best creamery or dairy butter will bear
ordinary shop handling through the sum
mer months and retain its sweetness, or
bear transportation to "A warmer climate,
while properly made oleomargarine viii
stand up" in any climate and keep sound
and sweet almost any length Of time.
The committee Of the New York legiSla-
ture that investigated the, subject, and re
ported the bill just passed as well rs the
members who advocated and voted for it,
made no pretense of controverting these
facts but their plea was that much OF the
imitation butter was AS vile as the worst
western tub" and that all OF il was sold
under the head of pure butter Even
the brand of the best Orange county dai-
ries and Ohio creameries was often put
upon oleomargarine and the latter was
palmed off at enormous prices as the pure
article. There was no way, they said, OF
putting stop to these frauds but 10 crush
the whole business.
But it will not stay crushed. There is no
warrant for any law in New York or else
where, that can stop the manuiactur" and
sale of an article of food which the best
scientific authority says is altogether
wholesome and valuable and the manuiac-
turers and dealers in oleomargarinc
throughout the state have decided to con
tinue the business and if proceeded against
will contest the law on the ground of its
uncOnstitutionality.
Doubtless the manufacturers and dealers
in imitation buffers owe it mainly 10 them
selves that the strong arm Of the law has
been invoked to destroy their business, for
they constantly from the start diSregarded
and defied the popular AS we'll as legal de
mana tnat tneN Shoulu sen uieH SUM "li-
der its proper name and not persist in the
fraud of palming il of for pure butter.
Such swinding Of the public it is right of
course to stop. But when the manuiac
turers and dealers in oleomargarine be
come honest enough TO sell the article for
what it is and deal with the public openly
and on the square, all attempts at legal
prohibition will not only soon he aban
doned, but much of the popular prejudice
which now obtains against the article Will
disappear and it will take its proper place
among edibles in the market the same as
any other indisputably wholesome and I'm
Objectionable article of food.