Evening star., 1896-01-31
IMITATION BUTTER
0leomargarine Must Be Sold Here
after for What It Really Is.
TREASURY REGULATIONS IN FORCE
No Misleading Devices or Designs
to Be Used by Dealers.
EXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS

EXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS
Important treasury, regulations relating to
the packing, expectation and exposure to
sale of oleomargarine, which is the generic
term under which all imitation buffers are
grouped in the eyes of the law, will go
Tito effect tomorrow, and will be vigorous
ly enforced hereafter by the authorities of
the internal revenue bureau. Ever since
. the manufacture Of oleomargarine began to
| reach large proportions those engaged in
the business have been steadily ana per-
sis tcntly engaged in an endeavor to en-
beliish the packages containing the stuff
with various designs, devices, illustrations
and words which tended to conceal the
true character of the article and to suggest
that it was some sort of genuine butter.
The treasury officials depended for long
| time on the laws gooerning the manu-
! flcture and sale of oleomargarine to pre-
vent this custom the part of those
gagged in its manufacture and sale, but the
subterfuges resorted to became SO glaring
| that it was determined last year to take
summary action by which the purchasing
pubic might be saved from further i'm
! position such as the misleading designs
| and devices alluded to above made possible
and easy.
y,
| of Internal Revenue Joseph S. Miller is
sued, with the approval of Secretary Car
| Isle, regulations addressed to collectors of
internal revenue concerning the marking.
branding, labelling, etc, of tips or other
! inner package devices of manufacturers
| original packages Of oleomargarine for ex-
port.
| Nothing Confusing Permissible.
The commissioner recited that "it hav
ing come to the notice of this office that
| certain manufacturers of oleon1argarine
who expert that product encroach upon
| the law in the use of private trade marks,
brands, labels, picture Illustrations and
| other advertising and descriptive devices
| placed upon the tins or other inner pack
age devices for separating Jumps of oleo-
| margarine inside the manufacturers orig
| inal packages for expectation, the COM
| approval of the Secretary of the Treas
ury, established regulations as fellows. un-
| der authority contained in section 16 act
| August =, 1856:
| picture illustration or other advertising
descriptive device will be permitted to be
| used upon the tins or other inner package
| devices of manufacturers original pack
| ages of oleomargarine for export which
| In any wise conceal the government brand
| 'Clcomargarne required under section 16 of
the act of August =, 1856, to be branded
upon all packages of oleomargarine for
port.
Not such trade mark, label, brand, pic
| ture illustration or other advertising or de-
| scriptive device shall be placed upon the
tins or other inner package devices in such
| JuXtaposition to the government brand
| 'Oleomargarine as to overShadow con-
| fuse that notice as to the nature of the
contents of the tins other inner pack
| age devices. Nor shall it be permitted
to use upon such tins or other inner pack
age devices, any trade mark, label brand,
picture illustration other advertising or
| descriptive device which in any wise in
dicates or is calculated to induce the be-
lief that the contents are anything else
| than oleomargarine
| THE government brand 'oleonargarine
must stand conspicuously by itself.
No trade mark. label, brand, picture il
scriptive device prohibited as above for
| use upon the tins or other inner package
devices shall in any other form be inclosed
in the manufacturers original package
containing the tins or other inner package
| devices
The use of the wcrd 'butterine' in brand
| irg tins or other inner package devices of
oieolaargarine Is prohibited by law"
A Still More Stringent Order.
This set of regulations was followed the
Lext day, October 23, 1895, by others, which
! were more sweeping and decisive in their
instructions. Commissioner Miller used
| these words:
mo manufacturer of or dealer in olea-
private trade mark. label, brand, picture
! illustration, or other advertising or descrip-
| tive device upon any print, roll, or other
mold or design of oleomargarine offered for
| sale, consumption use which in any wise
| conceals the fact that the product is oleo-
| margarine. This rule applies rs well to the
! wooden or paper package wrapper of
| any print, roll or other mold or design of
| oleomargarine.
| Under this regulation it will be seen that
| the use of any trade mark, label, brand,
| picture Illustration, or advertising or de-
| Scriptive device representing a cow, or
dairy farm, or in any other form indicating
| the olecmargarine to be product of the
| dairy, or calculated to induce the belief that
it is such dairy product, is inadmissible.''
All Dealers Affected Alike.
Shortly before. January /, when the regu-
| lations were to so into effect, the manu-
| facturers of oleomargarine asked the treas
ury officials to extend the time of their go
| ing into effect because of the loss they
would suffer from being compelled to de-
stroy the large amount of packages con-
| tanning devices they had in stock. Accord
| ingly the time was extended to February
i, and tomorrow the regulations will be-
come operative.
A great many retail dealers throughout
4 the country have been under the impress
sion that they would be allowed to con-
| tinue their custom Of using means to con-
| ceal the true character of oleomargarine,
| and would be permitted to use private
| labels and devices as they might see fit.
Commissioner Miller said today that this
was not the case. The regulation Of the
| treasury would be carried out and enforced
| to the letter, and after today no manufac-
| turers of oleomargarine would be allowed
| to ship any of the article marked other
| than in perfect conformity with the law
| and regulations. Retail dealers would be
| given a reasonable time, few days at
| most, to dispose of. the stock they have on
| hand marked with the former devices, and
| then they would be also brought up to
rigid observance of the laws and regula-
| tons.
The internal revenue authorities declare
/ that they are determined to see that oleo-
| margarine shall be sold for what it really
| is, without subterfuge or deception, and
| consequently no retail dealer will be al
| lowed to use any private design or device,
| unless 1t is used in connection with the
word "oleomargarine." In order to make