Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02
Alleged Violators of the Law Will
Shortly Be Brought to Trial.
THE PUBLIC BECOMING AROUSED
Illegal Sales of O!eomargarine to
Be EffectuaIIy Prevented.
INTER- STING FA CT S

Indictments are now being drawn up
against several of the many individuals
against whom informations have been filed
by the treasury and District government
authorities charging them with violating
the laws governing the sale of oleomargar-
ire. When these documents are completed
the cases to be tried under them Will be
pushed to an early hearing, and then the
general Washington public will learn even
more thoroughly than it knows at present
what widespread imposition and outrageous
oxtortion has been practiced upon 1t in this
regard. Some Of the individuals upon whom
the hand of the law will fall most heavily
when the verdcts in their cases are rem
dered have declared that the effort to en-
force the law in this matter had been dis
continued because the prosecutors had
become aware that the "oleo' men
had the officials clothed with the duty
and authority of prosecuting them COM
pletely under control, and that the
cases brought would not be pushed with a
vigor sufficient to assure the conviction Of
the accused. Several of the smaller dealers
in oleomargarine, who had become alarmed
at the course affairs were taking, and who
displayed an anxiety to discontinue selling
the stuff in other than correct legal man
oAAA
whom they purchased their stock that they
reed net be alarmed, because the "oleo' men
had the authorities where they wanted
them and knew the proposed prosecution
was only intended as bluff.
OF course, all this talk and assertion IS
mere braggadocio. but 1t casts reflection
on very many upright and worthy ofnciais;
whom the results of the prosecution will
undoubtedly vindicate.
Denounced by Oleomnrgnrine Men.
The oleomargarine dealers are also loud in
their denunciation of the merchants who
sell only genuine butter, and who are de-
termined that the imitation article shall be
sold for what it really is. They claim that
the legal authorities are fully clothed with
power to carry out the laws, and that the
action of the butter men In taking active
interest in assisting those authorities is I'M
businesslike and unfair. 1t is said in an
swer to this claim that no one interested
in the enforcement of the laws gov
erning the sale Of oleomargarine cares
one whit how much imitation butter Is
sc ID provided it is sold for what it really Is.
No one denies or cares to deny the right of
any one to sell all the oleomargarine they
please so long as they do 1t in legal way.
and no one cares how many people buy and
eat it in preference to genuine butter so long
as they confine their taste to their personal
requirements. 1t is the imposition and the
extortion which accompany the sale or
oleomargarine under the representation
that it is butter that have aroused the in
dignation of the public, and which has
caused the grand jury to find indictments
against those alleged to be guilty of it.
Since The Star called attention to the
widespread violation of the oleomarga-
awakening on the part of the public,
and many persons have made inquiries daily
from those who are aware of the conditions
as to what means they should take to pro-
too thary,s o1x-nS frnr n0SSihla lmD0SlttOn
the purchase. With little care this can be
easily accomplished. Many INSCRIPTIONS
Gea lers will hand out a package of oleomar-
gurins when a customer calls for butter and
trust to the carelessness of the purchaser to
evade discovery. The stuff will be wrapped
In a paper, too, marked cleomargarlne but
the mark will be folded in. This is the
popular way In which many dealers claim to
m eet the requirements of the law. ard, if
they are confronted with the fact that they
have sold oleomargarine for butter they
will point to the paper and rest their side
of the argument on that.
Advice to Buyers.
In view of the fraud being so extensively
prac ticed it would be well for each person
tho pays for what he believes to be genuine
butter to examine the wrapping before leav-
ing the store or stand and also to inquire
definitely of the salesman whether the arti-
Gle purchased is real butter or not Few
dealers would have the temerity to sell the
spurious article to customer who called
for genuine butter If this course was pur-
sued and the little trouble taken would be
we'll repaid.
The present crusade here in the capital of
the nation may result in the passage of
law by Congress regulating the use of imf-
butter by hotels, restaurants board
ing houses. clubs and other places where
meals are served for sale. 1t is notorious
fact hat numbers of these establishments in
Washington Use oleomargarine not only for
cooking purposes but for table use as well.
Their patrons and customers naturally sup
pose they are using butter, ard while to
many of them the imitation article would
make no difference there is little DOUBT that
a large number would feel considerably in
dgnant if they knew they were eating
anything else than the genuine product of
milk and cream.
The Dairy Unions Intentions.
The National Dairy Union, powerful and
organization, Is watching the
present course of events hero with intense
interest AMI when the publicity that is to
be continued on this subject has stirred up
as well as pubic interest,
measure is to be introduced providing that
every hotel, boarding house, club, eating
house, restaurant and ether public place
where meals are served and sold shall be
compelled, If they use olacmargarine for
any purpose, announce such fact in
place in the dining or other
rooms where the meals are served. OF
course there will be great opposition to this
and a strong lobby Is being
formed by the oleomargarine manufactur-
ers to fight it when made. But the dairy
union is fully prepared to meet the oppo-
nents, for its leading members say that
even if the measure is defeated the discus
sion over it will prove valuable as great
lesson to educate the public in the use and
abuse of the various manufactures made
In imitation of butter
ElJks' Memorial Services.