The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-05-01

The articles go in as the things we don't
specify by name at the top, and come out as
creamery butter below.
The picture does not very greatly eXaggerate
the nature of the fraud which is now robbing
the farmers of the country of their leGltl-
mate rewards, and running some OF them
downright. If the vile product continues 10
be sold as butter, one creamery after another
will be broken ND the country over. Those who
adulterate the food of a nation are murder
ers. The utmost vengeance of the law ought
to be visited on them.
These fraudulent butter manufacturers are
growing rich. They have a lobby, even III
the United States congress, to look after
their nefarious industry. Shameless con-
gressmen themselves are drummers for hog
butter Not long since it was said that a
certain congressman had a very handsome
suite of rooms fitted up sideboald was
covered with rare wines end liquors. lie in
Vited his acquaintance, especially strangers
from outside of Washington, to sort of free
lunch They were given their fill of drinks,
and then they were asked to partake of bis
cult and butter Marves of snowy biscuit
were spread with something cut from what
seemed to he most appetizing block of but
ter. it looked lovely and tasted good. After
they had eaten it the invited guests were told
it was oleomargarine, which may on may not
have been true.
Now, a congressman who would do the liRa
of that ought to be drummed out of tho
country.
When the stuff was first made it was, at
least. honest beef suet But the wretches who
concoct it have cheapened even that The
next step was the use of hogs lard. 1t Is
now declared to be fact that they try out
the fat of the dead soap factory hogs and use
that for the base of the compound. Fusel
oil, soda ash, cotton seed oil, corn starch,
"caul and kidney beef suet" cows udders
ground slippery elm bark, glycerine, stearine
and gelatne made from horses and cows
hoofs are some of the articles that go into the
manufacture of hog butter The list is
taken from the patent office at Washington,
where the materials are registered. TO
purify the mass it is treated with nitric acid
Nitric acid is a substance that would burn
its way through anybodys hand if drop
should fall upon the back. That is what
it is.
The board Of agriculture of Illinois gave a
slap in the face to the farmers of the whole
country by permitting an oleomargarine ex-
hibit at the fat stock show in Chicago. 1t
was nothing less than an insult.
1t would hardly be the square thing to say
these fellows should not make hog butter;
but they should be forced to label it what it
is, and then grocers would be ashamed to sell
it. Many million pounds were made last
year.
Meantime farmers must band together, as
the labor organizations do. and boycott the
makers Of and dealers in the stuff. if they
want to protect themselves. At the same
time, they must learn to make their butter so
perfect that nobody can fail to distinguish 1t
from the hog butter.
A microscopic analysis Of the oleomarga-
rine has shown it often to contain reaches
legs and wings, dirt and unspeakable abomi-
nations One thing, however, its manufac-
ture may do 1t may stimulate our farm
people to establish creameries and improve
their methods so greatly that we shall have a
revolution in butter making. Then this dairy
product will he as good Is that Of France
and Holland, and a great step forward will
have been made.
Should this prove the case, then the Ameri-
can hog butter experience will not have been
an unmixed evil.