The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-18
PROTECT THE DAIRY.
A Plea for the Suppression OF coioro
Oiooniurgnrino.

TO ne Editor OF the M.eHigenctL
slR:-l was glad 20 SEQ your reference
to tho decision OF tho Massachusetts
supreme court regarding tho restriction
placed upon tho manufacture and sale
Of oleomargarine In that state. You
are right In your criticism oil the course
they have pursued when you say, "u
from the beginning, the manufacturers
OF oleomargarine had sold It on Its own
merits tho probability is by this timc II
would have had an osla6lsho and
honorable place in trade. Having been
sent out in tho main under false colors
oleomargarine has got bad namo, got
tho law against II and large part oil
the public down on it"
by your permission l would like to
call the attention OF tho farmers and
especially tho dairymen TO the oleomar-
garine business. You arc aware that
theleglslature (see acts OF 1901, chapter s.
page 10y in response to our call. passed
law to compel the manufacturers and
wonders OF oleomargarino to color it
pink. The law has been found 10 BIO
unconstitutional because VIC had not
tho right TO compel them TO use color
Ing they did not wish. So VIC have
boon compelled 10 look on and 500 our
dairy product crowded out Of the mar
kets, our business 40 demoralized By a
counterfeit that many have given up in
despair and let tho dairy 60 down.
Almost every state has boon baitled
as We have been, but the staio OF Mas
sachusetts solved the problem when she
enacted law prohibiting them from
| coloring 1t yellow In imitation OF COW
butter. The manufacture OF olcomar-
garine concluded to sell as usual, hut
were indicted before magistrate. They
took it into court, then to the supreme
court Of the state, and from that to the
supreme court OF tho United States aud
were beaten in each court.
Here are some OF Justice Harland'a
reasons for the decisions: THE real
object Of coloring oleomargsrinet 10 make
it look like genuine butter is that it may
appear to be what 1t 10 not and thus in.
duce unwary purchasers who do not
closely acrutinize tho label upon the
package in which 1t is contained to buy
1t Tor butter. The statute seeks TO sur
press false pretenscs and to promote
fair dealing in the sale OF an article OF
food and vot /. is supposed
the owners OF compound which has
been put in condition to cheat tho
public into believing i! is particular
article Of food in daily use and eagerly
sought for by people in every condition
oil life arc protected by the constitution
in making sale OF it against tho will Of
the state in which it is offered for sale
because OF the circumstance that It is in
an original package and has become a
subject Of ordinary traffic. We are I'M.
willing to except this view; We are OF
the opinion that it is within the power
OF state to exclude from its markets
any compound manufactured in another
state, which has been artiticially colored
or ndulterated 80 rs to cause it TO look
like en- article OF food in general use,
and the sale Of which may. by reason OF
such coloring or adul.eration, cheat the
general public into purchasing that
which they may not intend to buy. Tho
constitution Of tho United States does
not secure to any one tho privilege Of
detraudng the public"
This is certainly righteous decision
and il our legislative body at Charles.
ton will at once adopt the same law it
will be long step toward bringing
about grand revolution with the agri-
cutura! class OF our citizens in the way
OF improvement both in breed and
management OF diary cattle, be.
cause it will open market for our pro.
duct that has been practically closed
for years.
Every one knows that there is a largo
per cent of the consumers OF oleomar-
| gnrine that could not BIO persuaded to
use it if they knew it. Then again it
will keep our money at homo instead OF
sending it to Armour & Company. at
Chicago. We have no quarrel to make
with the manufacturers OF oleomargar-
Inc. il they will keep its own dress on,
and not steal ours for their imitation
and send it out as legitimate off
spring, aud thereby deceive, as the
court says. "thounwary purchaser" We
are aware that the cry will DO raised. as
it hns been in tho past. that oleomar.
garine is tho poor mans butter and he
will be robbed. II you will look clos
ly you will discover "a Niger in the
wood.pilo" OF those that raise tho cry,
because it is made by those generally
that are Interested in it's sale.
Then tho argument is false because in
its natural color, which is n light brown,
and as pleasing color to the sight and
as appetzing rs yellow, 1t would BIO sold
on its own merits aud at its true value,
for tho finest quality would not exceed
sixteen cents pound. (Seo report OF
senate investigating committee OF six
years ago..
l would urge every one that ia intor.
osted in dairying to at once write TO his
representative at Charleston TO uso
their influence and vote for such bill
and remind them that il they fail to do
80 you will not forget who to vote for
when thoy again want your support.
Now is tho time 10 act.
would kindly request all papers that
are friendly to our interest to copy this
article. D. WILLIAMS.
Marshall county, W. Va, Jan. 10.
a PROrECrIONIST
|