Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-05-22

The Legislature hasn't done a more
foolish piece of business during the pres
ent session than that c6hcerning the
mannfscture of oleomargarine and butter
me. There h nO better reason for pro-
hibiting the manufacture or sale OF these
things than there is for prohibiting but
ter-malnng. except that there are more
voters Interested IN making butter than
m making the substitutes. There is en-
insnt scientific authority for saying that
Tins artificial butter when properly made
Il q perfectly wholesome dietetic material.
The method Of manufacture was hrss
made public by an eminent French chem
ist. AMI its value has been recognized by
the Parisan officials by imposing on It the
same duties as are chargeable on ordinary
butter The fact "a we'll established that
much of the butter used is rancid and
decidedly unwholesome. If the sale OF
oleomargarlns IS prohibited on the ground
n its being unwholesome then the sale Of
bad butter should be stopped. But these
Is abundant proof that oleomargarine Is
not necessarily unwholesome. There IL
unwhs,lesoUae oleomargarine "a there -
unwh5lesome butter. but neither Is nee
easarily 50. Now We DO not maintain
that sood oleomargarine u a. valuable or
as .zo.,d as good butter. nor that pure
lar,l. or pure goose-fat, such rs the Ger
mans often use. u ss good as good but
Ter. bnt Va DO maintain that II there are
people who prefer 70 use pure ole mar
garins. or iar,L or 70 lse-fat. either be-
canse Il sults thssir taste better or because
Il costs less. there ought 70 be uo legal
obstacle 10 their buying i1 Indeed. We
slorbt whether a Legislature has right
- pr,hibit the manufacture ot oleomar-
garine
A aw With a good stiff penalty attach
ell requiring that every package % oleo-
margarine should be marked conspicuous
b anil providing that the article should not
be soil ~ butter. would have been very
proper one 10 have enacted Then there
should he another lsw. with a stin nlors
severe penalty. slrsinst the adalteratiou
- tsotl 20 any kind with injurious sub
stsulrce. Bakers bread. Il is said. is
soroetinies asiultsrsted with alum and
other iuiario1s substances used t. make
4 sppesr light and white. But 70 pre-
venf psePls from being injured by eating
This kin,l - bread it ia net necessary a.
profsibit bread making Sugar Is ssiul-
tersts~i with plaster Of Paris but is IS not
ueusssary - prohihit sugsr-maNng. But
q law e prevent she slulteratiou ~ either
wsSihi b. perfectly propsr Wa are avsre
thai tlle interests of farmers and dairy
men val he served hy a prohibition II
Tie sale u anything lsei ss a substitute
Cor bntlsr but ( sich substitute eould b
sshl oniy far what t Is and net For but-
tsr. va ssspect that the profits 81 butter
naakinx wooid not he seriousiy rs-iics,i
AMI l.ersainly they vould - only in so far
as lnsfiee ~ consumers - conprued
There sre q great many people who arr 81
1ssisiiosss a. ta prefer even moderately
ewsl bufter e. good eleomarzariue and
- efsese - aat hrasd ua-spreai rather
thar - have oieanlarzs~1ne or husferine
ca if. and We confess a, heinx among the
nnnsher. bus Il setne one else ssshes te
eat e. ssshefitnte. " i va wish to buy
elnnr,arear;He H,r axse-greasA. the lsw
shsas.i MT prevent either Bnt our leg