The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-10

the pepper itself is mixed with ground
peas, rice and even woody fibre. The high
priced marmalades are largely made up Of
apple and turnip pulps; oatmeal is rich
in barley -four; ginger is a born COM
panion to sage, rice and mustard husks.
And then there is the beautiful honey,
nicely put up in pretty boxes with glass
windows, through which piece of comb,
and occasionally crushed bee can be seen
Yet the depravity of this sweet materials
astounding. But little of the stuff has re-
suited from the labors Of the busy bee,
most of it being mixture of glucose or
grape sugar. This is prepared from starch,
and the magnitude of this industry at the
present time is surprising.
Starch is the chemical cousin of grape
sugar, and simple boiling with a weak
acid endows the starch with all the proper
ties of its sweeter relative. Il few years
ago, an investigation into the glucose in
dustry and the nature of the product was
ordered by the interior department.; this
was carried to successful accomplishment
by the chemical section of the National
Academy of Science The report showed
that on an average $4,000 bushels of corn
are daily consumed by the glucose factories
in the United States. When the starch
bearing grains are low in price, or cane
sugar, molasses or barley high, the glucose
establishments run to their full capacity !;
but when the opposite conditions prevail,
many of the works operate under low
pressure only.
me manu- acture of starch sugar as an
industrial product dates from the CONNER
cial blockade incident to the warlike man
euvres of Napoleon l. When peace was
restored and foreign sugar again found its
way into European markets, the industry
declined, but has since been considerably
revived.
Among other queries propounded to the
National Academy was this: as glucose
detrimental to healthn Those worthy
savauts analysed and tested the sugar with
admirable perseverance; and then they ad-
ministered large quantities of the material
to their friends and then they ven
tured to partake of it themselves until con-
WINGED that it was harmless in its effects.
But the report OF the Investigations
brought heavy storm of criticism about
their ears. They were charged with hav-
ing given sanction to fraud, and with offer
ing encouragement to deception. As might
have been expected the loudest objections
came from the cane sugar men. The fact,
however, was this The committee stated
that as far as they were able to judge from
thorough theoretical and practical inves-
tigation, glucose was not in
human system. The distinguished
members of the National Academy were
not asked to consider the abstruse question,
as to whether it is truthful and fair to sell
glucose under the name of cane sugar or
not. Grape sugar is of value; it can be
profitably sold at from 2 TO cents per
pound. Its sweetening power is about
three fifths that of cane sugar; and the
substitution of the substance for sac
oh Sc n nj
upon the consumer.
Another deception of the same kind is
involved in the use and sale of oleomar-
garine. This stuff has its purpose also. A
word first in regard to its manufacture;
oleomargarine is not, as some suppose it to
be, refuse product; it is prepared with as
great care and as conscientious regard for
cleanliness as one usually finds i'll a cow
dairy. We all know that animal fats CON
tain a considerable proportion of soft, oily
matter which may be extracted by pres
sure. These soft fats are mixed with real
milk, and the mixture is subjected to
churning. AS the butter is formed, the
particles of foreign fats are entangled, and
thus the bulk is increased Fresh oleomar-
garine is without doubt wholesome pro-
duct; its flavor may be spoiled, however, if
the consumer has to pay butter prices for
it
to sell oleomargarine; yet perhaps there are
in those very places thousands of poor peo-
pie who are unable to purchase genuine
butter. and yet need the nourishmept of
such diet. Why may not those who choose be
permitted to buy and use oleomargarine if
they will? Surely it is not wrong to buy,
sell or eat this material; but it is a lie to
call the stuff butter.
l once talked with an extensive butter
dealer in New England. knew that he
sold oleomargarine under false name,
and he knew that 1 knew it, so there was
no occasion for subterfuge or dark
speeches. Among other items, l asked him
how he reconciled such fraudulent practices
with his ideas of right and justice, and was
surprised to hear his reply. Said be: "Am
10 blame when my customers demand to
be cheated and deceived If should offer
them oleomargarine at cents per pound,
most of them would forsake me in disgust;
but sell them the same stuff and charge
them 25 cents pound for it, and get their
good will, their custom and their wasted
money in the same transaction So the
buyers paid this man cents a pound for
the stuff and 20 cents a pound for the
privilege of calling it butter.
When the public learn what they buy
and eat, and then gain the courage neces-
sary to call every article of diet by its
right name, much Of this trickery will
cease. j. z. TALMAGE.