The Portland daily press., 1895-02-20

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toms Birth Day to be Celebrated at the
State House.
Especial to the PRESS.)
Augusta, February 19.-Do we eat "oleo?"
There are people who say that some of us
who put up at hotels, Go eat it and think
it is butter. However, that may be, the
wise lawyers of the judiciary commit tee
have heard a good deal about butter fats
and oils, and the oils and fats which enter
into the manufacture of oleomargarine.
At last nights hearing. Mr.. George E..
Bird of counsel for the petitioners, stat
ed that they asked the repeal of the present
law which, were it enforced, would be a
prohibitory measure. This seems to be a
case where prohibition does not prohibit.
The present law is an act of 1885 amenda-
tory of section 8, chapter 19S, r. S., which
it changes TO read as follows:
whoever, by himself or his agent manu-
features, sells, exposes for sale, or has in
his possession with intent to sell, any arti-
Gle, substance or compound, made in imita-
ton of butter or cheese, or as a substitute
for butter or cheese, and not made exolu-
sively and wholly of cream or milk, or con-
tanning any fats, oils or grease not pro-
duced from milk or cream, whether said
article, substance or compound be named
oleomargarine, butterine or otherwise
named, shall forfeit for the first offense
500. and for the second and each subse-
quent offense $500, to be recovered by in
dictment with costs. And it shall be the
duty of every inspector of milk. sheriff,
deputy sheriff and constable as named in
fua of hi OH MI 70 IN a.
complaint against any person or persons
violating the above named provisions of
said third section'
Earlier in the session bill which was en-
dorsed by the board of agriculture, was
introduced in the House.. 1t has been re-
ported from the agricultural committee
and is now on the House table. This bill
amends the law of 1885 by making it apply
TO limitations of yellow butter and.by
striking out the words 'or'' as a substitute
for butter OF cheese The effect of this
bill would be to allow the sale of oleomarga-
rine PROV ided i. is not colored to resemble
butter. Secretary MoKeen says that this is
in line with the legislation of many states.
New Hampshire requires that oleomargarine
SHALL be coloIed pink; Ohio forbids the col
oring of it. and SO does Massac husetts. On
the other hand, the dealers in ''oleo'' say
that SO long as they do not attempt to de-
ceive people and give them to understand
TINT the oleomargarine IS not butter, but
only substitute therefor. they have as
much right TO make it of an attractive col
or as the butter makers who, at certain sea-
sons. use coloring matter to give their pro-
duct the yellow hue of June butter.
AT this afternoons hearing, Hon. A. M.
Spear opened the case for the remonstrants
The law of 1885, he said. is prohibitory as
to the sale of oleoma rgarine in the state.
Now, what were the reasons which led to
the change in the law of 1888. Mr.. Spear
was in the House of Representatives in 1885.
and said that the legislature of that year
changed the law because of the great de-
ceit practiced upon the people by dealers
in oleomargarine. Mr.. Spear feared that
the repeal of this law would bring about
SIMILAR state of affairs. MIR. Spear said
that as.the burden of pl oof was on the peo-
pie who favored the passage of the new law
in 1885. SO now the burden was.on those who
ask for it's repeal. They should show some
reason different from those which were
found to be insufficient in 1885. They say
that the poor people of this state should be
allowed to buy oleomargarine if they want
1t. Assuming that the poor people do want
to use oleomargarine. the remonstrants are
willing that they should dose but they
want the law framed SO that the poor
people, the boarding house keeper and his
boarders, the hotel proprietor and his
guests should know il when they see it.
Mr.. Spear then read the billeamending the
law by inserting the word yellow and strik-
ing out the word substitute as described
above. Now there is a. bill which grants TO
these gentlemen Just exactly what they
said last evening they wanted. They can
sell oleomargarine or butterine. but not as
an imitation of yellow butter. Or the Mas
law would be satisfactory. The
statutes, which Mr.. Spear
read, declares that butteIine-or oleomarga-
rine may be sold as such provided that it
contains no color or ingredient which
makes it look like butter. Now If the gent
lemen who came here last night want only
what they say they want. either the bill or
the provision Of the Massachusetts law will
be 1atisfactory.to them. But Mr.. Spear was
constrained from information he had re-
ceiyed and which would be brought in evil
dence. to believe that oleomargarine was
sold in the state as butter. Mr.. Spear had
information that scores and scores of mel
had been selling oleomargaIine in violation
of both the state and United States laws.
The agents of the manufacturers of oleo-
margarine were going up and down the
state telling dealers TO sell it as butter,
and that they did not need any United
States license. This would also be testified
to. Mr.. Spear claimed that the sample OF
oleomargarinessEown here last evening was
an argument for the provisions of law he
advocated, as he did not believe any of the
farmers of the committee daughter) could
tell it fIom.butter. There it was of the same
color and bearing on the tops of the pieces
monogram just as dairy butter is marked.
Mr.. Spear believed thatNhe wishes of the
5000 remonstrants against-the repeal of the
law would be needed.
Mr.. Spear then called upon Secretary Nc
Keen, who told the committee how his at
tention had been called to the matter year
and half ago, when he found that the law
had been extensively violated. By advice
of Mr.. Spear. in June. 1894. notices were
sent to sall persons in the state holding
United States licenses that thereafter the
law would be enforced For a time this