Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-03
COUNTERFEIT BUTTER
Report Of the House Agricultural Com.
mtttee.

mtttee.
| POWER OF CONGRESS To TAX INVITATIONS OF
DAIRY PRopUcrs-How THEY DAMAGE DAIRY
| INrEREsTs-HURTFUL ARTICLES USED IN THE
| MANUFACTURES.
The report OF the House agricultural commit
tee on the Illegal sale Of imitation dairy pro-
ducts has been received from the printer IL
says:
1.-The power of the federal government 10 i'm
pose an internal revenue tax upon the manu-
| featured compounds sold as limitations and
counterfeits Of butter, as enumerated in the
second sectien of the substitute bill reported by
the committee, is too well established by a long
line OF precedents to require any argument; in
deed, as far as your committee are advised this
power is unquestioned and universally con-
ceded by those who deny the necessity or expe-
cheney OF such tax. This power to tax is not
ment tor the amount OF revenue derived. 1t has
been invoked in more than one instance to pro-
vide Tor the general welfare and sustained by
the highest judicial tribunal of the land. 1t is
commended by some that the tax on oieomarga-
rlne as defined in the bill, Is excessive, and Is
advocated for the purpose OF destroying or i'm
pairing is manufacture and sale, and is, there.
fore, beyond the constitutional power Of Con-
lhai, the power TO tax being conceded, there is
no limitation TO its exercise excepfthe discre-
ZION ana wisdom OF Congress-"
DAMAGE TO THE DAIRY BUSINESS.
CATION of the subject find "that there are in the
United States over Is, 0OO, 900 cows, producing
annually over ], zoo. O0O. 900 pounds of butter
ana 3OO,OOO,OOo pounds of cheese, and that the
product is worth S250O00, 600. That about an
equal amount OF milk is consumed as milk, so
that the product of the dairy interest of the
United States is worth $500. oOO,OOO annually;
that cows were worth on an average $40 per
head until the introduction of counterfeit but
ter, and are now worth but $50 each making "A
total loss OF 81 10000 600 in mlch cattle alone:
al lNpr,. iun.p rad
Chicago alone about 100000 milch cows, or an
average OF 1000 per day; that there are from
1our 10 nVc million American citizens engaged
| in the dairy business, and that they must all
abandon Ii, and be driven into some other
already overworked branch Of industry unless
they can be relieved from the present ruinous
competition with cheap limitations OF butter
and cheese; that the dairy interest is a neces-
sity TO all other branches OF agriculture il is
the cheapest and most reliable means of pro-
ducing or continuing the conditions OF soil
necessary to the production of crop. OF grain
ana grass; that the cost OF producing the usual
limitations OF butter is from z 10 cents a
pound, and the cost to the consumer has been
ana Is about equal with the price OF genuine
butter; That such limitations are not only dis
astrous TO the dairy interest directly and to all
branches OF agriculture Indirectly, but that they
are detrimental 10 public health, being the
fruitful cause Oh dyspepsia and other diseases"
DELETERIoUS ARTICLES USED IN MAKING THE
BOGUS BUTTER.
The report says that among the articles and
ingredients used in the manufacture OF such
limitations there are the following: Nitric acid,
sugar OF lead, suphate of lime, benzoic acid,
butyric acid, glycerine, capsic acid, commercial
sulphurc acid, tallow, butyrIc ether, castor Oil
caul gastric juice, curcumine, chlorate of pot
ash, peroxide OF magnesa nitrate OF soda, dry
blood albumen, saitpeter, borax, orris root,
bicarbonate OF soda, caparic acid, suphite OF
soda, pepsin lard, caustic potash, chalk, oil OF
sesame COR benne) turnip-seed oil, Oil o. sweet
almonds, stomach OF pigs, sheep or calves, mus
tard-seed Oil, bicarbonate of potash, boracic
acid, salicylic acid, cotlon-seed oil, alum, COWS
udderS, sal soda, farinaceous flour, carbolic
acid, siippery-eim bark, olive Oil. broma chic
ralum Oil Of peanuts, sugar, caustic Soda
DAMAGE TO THE CooNTRY's EXPORT TRADE
The committee believe that about 300,
100000 pounds Of spurious compounds and
mixtures to initiate butter is being manufac-
tured annually. 1.-The existence of such base
counterfeits has already seriously impaired our
export trade and Will result in stili greater
damage ii not checked. 1t further appears
from all the Information before your commit
tee, that at least nine-tenths of the people OF
| the United States demand this legislation