Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-01
A SWEEPING LAW
An Act Of 1879 Relating to the
Sale Of 0leomargarine.
PASSED TO PROJECT TEE DISTRICT
Prosecutions to Be Commenced
Under Its Provisions.
W II AT 1T Eel ARE 8

The dealers in oleomargarine In the Dis
trict, who have been conducting traffic In
the article without a complete regard for
the laws governing the sale of initiate
butter, and who have been almost open in
their protestations that they cannot be
reached by the authorities, are very much
alarmed over the active interest which the
District Commissioners have taken in the
premises. Heretofore the oleomargarine
laws Of the United States have been re-
garded as furnishing many loophoies
through which their violators could be
helped by means of technicalities, and 1t
has been difficult to make cases against
them, but it appears now that law passed
by Congress in 1879, and approved on jan
uary 25 of that year, covers the ground in
the District absolutely. This law is entitled
"a act for the protection of dairymen, and
to prevent deception in sales of butter and
cheese in the District Of. Columbia" 1t
has never been repealed and Is in full force.
1t provides as follows:
'Be 1T enacted by the Senate aud House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, That every
person who shall manufacture for sale, or
who shall offer or expose for sale any ar
tfcle or substance in semblance of butter or
cheese, not the legitimate product of the
dairy, and not made exclusively of milk or
cream, but into which the Oil or fat of ami
mails, not produced from milk. enters as a
component part, or into which melted but
ter, any Oil thereof, has been introduced
to take the place of cream, shall distinctly
and durably stamp. brand or mark upon
every tub, firkin, box or package of such
article or substance the word 'Oleo-Nfar-
sarine' in plain Roman letters, not less
than half an inch square, placed horizontal
ly in proper order, thus:
margarine.
And In case of retail sales Of such article
substance
all cases. deliver Herewith to the pure haser
written or printed label bearing the plain
ly written or printed word 'Oleo-M arga-
rne,' in type or letters as aforesaid; ard
so stamped, branded, marked labeled
shall be void, and 10 action shall be main
tanned for the price thereof
Section 2 That every person who shall
sell, or offer to sell, or have in his her
possession with intent to sell, contrary to
the provisions Of this act, and of the said
article or substance required by the first
section of this act, to be stamped, ma led
or labeled as therein stated not So stamp
ed, marked or labeled, in case of retail
sale without delivery of label required
by section 1 of this act, shall, for each
such offense, forfeit and pay a fine of SlGO
to be recovered by Indictment in any court
of the District of Columbia of competent
jurisdiction for the trial of misdemeanors.
and tie one-half of such fine to go to the
informer and the residue to be paid into
the treasury of the District of Columbia
Section }. That every person who shall
sell, or offer, or expose for SALE or who
shall cause or procure to be sold. or Of
fered or exposed for sale, any article or
substance required by the first section
Of this act to be marked, branded stamp
ed or labeled,no SO marked, branded, stamp
ed or labeled shall be guilty of a INSIDE
meanor, and on trial for such misdemeanor
proof of the sale or offer or exposal alleged
shall be presumptive evidence of knowledge
Of the character of the article so sold or
offered"
Prosecutions VIII BE General
The sweeping provisions Of this act are
apparent at a glance, and the fact that
prosec utions are to be Immediately COM
menced under it has caused great deal
Of alarm among oleomargarine dealers who
have been unaware OF the existence of the
statute heretofore This publication will
be news to many of them of a most un-
pleasant character. The authorities and all
others interested in the oleomargarine
question as it affects the local public are
merely inspired by determination to COM
pei the sale of oleomargarine for what it
really is The majority of the persons who
buy it, unwittngly. are the poorer classes
who purchase it under the impression that
1T is butter, and pay The prices commanded
for the latter article. Accordingly, they
pay from 10 to 10 cents a pound more for
it than it would be sold for if it was Of
fered in its real character This custom
is what the authorities say they are de-
termined to prevent in future and ar
rangements are completed already for a
general prosecution of all dealers in the
District who have made themselves liable
to the laws in the premises.