The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-18
OleOm argarine Ethics.

OleOmargarine Ethics.
The fact that quite good many :"
readers of agricultural papers are be-
levers in the free-and-easy code of
morals, which allows that g all is fair
in love and war;" is giving conscien-
tious writer's for the agricultural press
considerable difficulty in writing ac-
ceptably on the oleomargarine question.
When it comes to the query whether it
is right to lie about the manufacture of
imitation buffers, and to call all such
limitations filthy and poisonous, the
feeling of some people is well illus
trated in the anecdote of the two negro
"professors =" who were engaged in
robbing hen-roost, Says the darky
who was clearing the roost to the
darby who was holding the bag, Z" Brud-
der Brown, duz yer feel clar in yer con-
shuns dat stealing chickens amt no
sin?" Z" Dat am great moral queschun,
Brudder Black; can't stop to 'scuss him
now; han down anodder pullet." To
strong partisans, man who is squeam-
ish about lying and SANDER in good
cause is much too particular. That is
the way some people are made-pretty
good people, too, in general way, but
people who think strict Bible morality
is not practicable in this lower sphere
of life.
To such individuals our square-edged
friend Cheever of the Neu England
Farmer feels called upon to address a
few rather caustic observations, as fol-
lows:
We have seen the growth of this COM
petitor of the dairyman from the day of
its birth, and if we have not had some
thing to say of it in every issue of the
Ne,c England Farmer, it has not
been because we are ignorant of the
presence of the rival. But
we have occasionally spoken, always
conscientiously expressing our honest
convictions. We have not Joined in the
cry against cleo because it is a Compel
itor with the dairy-cow farmer for the
lCdoOl tlldl VIC DCllCNC luc
are in measure unjust. The volume
of the opposition to imitation buffers
has not come from the consumers who
are afraid either of being poisoned or
being cheated, but it has come from the
dairymen and their newspaper organs
the object Of the former being to crush
dangerous rival; of the latter, appar-
emily in most cases, to keep on favor
able terms with patrons aud prospect
i've patrons among the dairy farmers.
We do not believe in much fighting, and
we do not like any. We have preferred
to let the Oleomargarine war go on and
waste itself after the manner of most
wars, without taking an actual hand in
it, but when man like DIR. Atwater of
Connecticut is attacked by one of his
own state papers, that is supposed to be
the farmers best counselor on agricul-
tural matters, we find that we have
something to say, and must say it.
Under the heading, Another Good
Man Gone Wrong" the Connecticut
Farmer of July 18th most shamefully
and meanly attacks DR., Atwater, because
he expressed his honest convictions
as a scientific man. DR.. AT
water is farm boy from the CHIEF
dairy state of New England. We have
known him from the day he first be-
gan to work for, and publicly talk to
the farmers of his adopted state. He
is an earnest and enthusiastic worker
in his chosen field, agricultural chem
istry. In all his work he has had thu
welfare of the American farmer ant
the American citizen in view.
DR.. Atwater asks, as we all do, that TIT
manufacture of imitation buffers b,
regulated in accordance with those prin
ciples of legislation that justice and eX
perience have approved. We may wei
ask as much as that for the manufac-
ture of all foods. The public has
right to ask it, but we fail to see hoy
one class has the right to say that
competitor shall not share the market
But this is what the dairymen hav
been asking from the beginning of tn
battle. We know that we have man
warm personal friends who do not Sc
this matter exactly as we do, but thi
is not our fault. Honest men have RICH
to differ. We are well aware, too, tina
this question, like most other question
over which men dispute, has two c
more sides. If person is so situate
that from his own standpoint but on
side can be seen, he may not be blamabl,
but he should have respect for tn
views of intelligent men who diff
from him. The NeU England FARM
aims to render justice to all and to giN
all fair play. Its editors have stood b