Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-11
THE OLEONARGAHINE QUESTION.
The Other Side-Defense of Butterine-
Bogus Countrymen.
o the Editor of THE EVENING STAR.


In your issue of April l noticed an article
entitled "The Great Butter Swindle," writ
ten by j. II. Crane, and although hate the
swindle as bad as he can, YETI feel that he does
injustice to some and fails to do entire Justice to
other portions of his subject. First, there
is more pure butter sold in this city
than spurious; yet it cannot be denied
that the bogus is showed in immense
proportions. Second, he asks where are the
Commissioners, the detectives, the District
chemist, Sc, and says not one arrest has been
made under this law. think he has forgotten
the case ofthe District ofColumbia against Hud-
son Waple; Shatz complainant, and how, in
said case, the righteous law of Congress found
deledti w and consequently no punishment
ton this case without fear of injurng the par
ties, as the firms of both complainant and de-
fendant are now defunct.l 1 could mention
other cases. but with these facts 1t is easy to
see why the officers of the law take no notice of
the violation of defective law. 1t would be a
iOOl1sh waste OF time and since the trial of the
case just mentioned the word "oleomargarine'
has been altogether omitted with boidness by
nearly all dealers. The idea that people like to
DE humbugged seems quite plausible, but the
idea that Mr.. Crane could not sell his prime
m buster at on profit 3bs she shows simply
ties who purchased the goods for him,
for speak from experience when 1 say that
fresh l New York butter can be sold here at
wholesale at a profit if properly purchased and
1t Is done every day, and if people waste good
milk or cream in making poor butter by their
their butter to stay in their cellar or store and
get old waiting for the price they think it ought
to bring, they must not think the public will
make good the loss of their laziness or mis-
Judgment, either as the case may be.
Now, the fact is good butter sells in
forty cents per pound, but low grades of butter
sell very low, even much lower than butterine:
not because butterine is SO very healthy diet,
but because 1T does not taste bad as poor
butter: and butter is eaten for its TASTE hence
the preference for the bogus. Now as for the
analysis Of chemists An experienced palate is
better detective of bogus butter, as has been
proven in several cases, and if a good and suffi-
cient law existed for the punishment or
large reward for a tub of bogus butter that /
could not detect; but I am satisfied that this
evil will never be corrected properly until we
have constitutional amendment making it a
heavy 1ine and Imprisonment for manufac-
turing or selling any kind of adulterated food.
Butter is adulterated in many ways, and if /
were to make the law would make itiust as Sc
we're against coloring butter or cheese as against
putting grease into 1t; The highest priced
coiored and not the natural color either, but
more of a red than natural butter color and
the United states government has prostituted
ltseH SO low as to issue d patent on butter color,
thus protecting one of the greatest crimes of
the age, adulteration of food SO repeat nothing
short of the Aforesaid constitutional amend
ment will ever correct this evil for II your law
hangs man for stealing horse, whips him for
stealing COW, and pays him royalty for steal
thieves?
Now fully agree with Mr.. Crane as to truth
shot from behind a mask. and SO will give nv
signature: L give it as my opinion that people
who buy their butter from respectable dealers
are not as likely to be imposed on as
when buying from peddlers and bogus
countrymen, as l have often seen genuine
countrymen sit by. their wagons at Center
market with print butterine standing out
exposed for sale as genuine butter, and
people buying it from them. If they afterward
discovered the fact, they sometimes do, hey
must 1, either eat it or throw it away, and very
few do the latter. Now, as did arise to eX-
plain, will say that hutterine can be made of
pure butter, lard and suet, at Ice. per pound,
and fair profit realized, as have a good arti-
Gle Of cooking butter now in my store that can
wholesale at 13c. and make fair profit, and a
cheap article can be bought at &C., with lard at
Sc, suet at Sc. and when all is rendered and
deodorized it has no bad taste. Bear in mind do
not plead that it is good, but many people prefer
1t to poor butter, not knowing Or caring how it
is made; and what is not good enough to go into
butterineis made into soap, hence the connection
OF soap factories with oleo factories; but find
the subject endless, SO will write no more at
present, but will gladly give any information
or at any time lend helping hand to stop the
manufacture of this article. r. B. YoUNGs