Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-17
Oleomargarine.


harder hight is expected. A large cap
ltal is employed in the manufacture of
this counterfeit, and the manufacturers
are well organized. They win be sure
10 put a great deal of money where it
VIII do the most good" A literary bu-
reau has been established to furnish ar
guments against the bill Free traders
are appealed TO to oppose the bill be-
cause it Is rank protection and oppc ed
to free trade. If this is so, it is bad for
free trade. Protection we have and pro-
lection shall have, and it is high time the
farmers, by far the most numerous class
and the class most essential to the coun-
trys prosperity, should have some pro-
lection. Protectionists are assured that
if the bill shall pass, SO much revenue
will be raised that the tariff must be
lowered. However, the thought might
suggest itself TO the farmers, that if the
government should come into possession
OF more money than it could use for cur
rent expenses, it might pay off d few Of
the bonds.
The bogus butter manufacturers say.
leave it to State regulation, they well
knowing that after it leaves the factories
and is scattered over the country the
machinery to enforce its honest sale.
outside of the Internal Revenue Depart
ment, does not exist. No one disputes
the constitutional power to tax any ar
ticle; even the hide-bound Judiciary
Committee of the House of Representa-
tives admits this. The expedency of
such a tax is, therefore, the only thing
requiring to be considered. The great
dairy interest, as we'll as consumers.
who want pure butter, but who are con-
stantly being imposed upon, and honest
dealers who have to compete against the
dishonest sale of this article, all answer
this question most emphatically in the
affirmative.
There is now in this state law pro-
hlbiting the manufacture or sale of this
counterfeit. 1t is Chapter Sol, Laws
of 1880 as follows:
Whoever manufactures out of any
oleaglnous substances, or any compound
of the same, other than that produced
from unauthorized milk, or cream from
the same, any article designed to take
the place OF butter or cheese, produced
from pure, unadulterated milk or cream
of the same, or whoever shall knowingly
sell, or offer for sale the same as an ar
ticle of food, shall, on conviction thereof.
be confined in the county Jail not exceed
ing one year, or fined not exceeding
81 900, or both.
Of course, the prohibition against its
manufacture, in these days of railroads,
is of no avail, for the state may be
flooded from the factories in Chicago.
How much the prohibition against its
sale ayails, we know not; but a contem-
porary paper, in a shilly-shallying arti-
Gle onthe subject, claims that the coun-
terfeit is sold in this city, in the heart of
II great dairy country.
The plea that Congress cannot consti-
tax oleomargarine, except to
raise a needed revenue, is sufficiently
answered by referring to the law taxing
ten per cent. the circulation of all banks
Of issue other than the national banks
"a law which entirely drove out of cir
lation the bills of the once numerous
banks. That law is still in
force, but it produces no revenue, be-
cause there are none of those notes in
The law was prohibitory
in its nature and effect. Its constitu-
has never been questioned, and
all the people have said amen to it.
Advocates of the tax on oleomargarine
need not hesitate to put the measure on
prohibitory grounds. 1t is a stuff that
may better be prohibited than the notes
of wild cat banks, for those were dan
gerous only to the peoples pockets, but
this is dangerous 10 the public health
and even life. 1t is claimed by the adj
vOcates of bogus butter that it is n
article of food, but asser-
tons respecting its deleterious proper
ties are strongly supported by the re-
port of Prof. Nachtrieb, of the State
University of Minnesota, from whose
published statement of the results of
his examination of samples of butter /
inr, the following extract is taken;
The examination of these samples
was By no means exhaustive, and they
would probably yield much more than
the accompanying figures Indicate.
The best and cleanest looking samples |
had II butter odor and taste, and would |
readily pass for butter. 1t had very
small variety of living organisms, but
q great many spores, which, under
favorable conditions, | have no doubt
would have terminated. Ii also con
I lined masses of dead mould, bits of
cellulous wood, various colored par
llcles, shreds Of hair, bristles, etc. The
other two samples teemed with life and
yielded microscopic preparations Of the
moulds and bacteria, that would have
gladdened the heart of tho student of
biology.
The microscope revealed the fact that
the greatest variety OF life existed in the
inner portion of these samples, and the
outer portions contained the greatest
quantity of active bacteria. The ami
mails found in the butterine belong TO
the type Of prutOzoo. Doubtful por-
tons Of worms were also noticed.
Many of the protozoo under favorable
conditions pass into an encysted stare,
or develop spores within protected cap
sules, and in these conditions lie dorm
mant till the environment is again fav-
urable, and it can hardly be doubted
that some OF the many spores found in
these butterineS, were merely in Il dor
mant state.
The great number and variety of
organisms found in the samples. indi-
Gale the use of foul water and 4 crimin-
ally filthy process in making it.
There cannot be the slightest doubt
that the person who eats SO promiscu-
Gus and SO lively mixture as the but
terinc examined, is running great risk,
morally, rs we'll as physically.
The peace and happiness OF future
generations is greatly involved in the
life OF the present generation. BY in
dulging in our homes articles OF food
filled with spores and seeds of the vari-