The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-12-08

ing, detaches the stamp, and marches
of with his article, which is apparent
ly converted from common oleo into
fine butter by simply removing the
stamp. In the latter case the buyer of
the tub is not deceived, but the con-
sumer to whom he sells, is. The Cleve-
land concern that is engaged in manu-
featuring colored oleomargarine in vio-
lation of law, does business under the
attractive name of 1.-THE Union Dairy
Company, not daring to use an honest
name. Some dealers, who seem to
think that round about lying is less
heinous than direct falsehood, when
asked the question, "Is this genuine
butter?" replies, "why this is Union
Dairy and the customer, not suspect
ing the subterfuge and not willing to
believe that the merchant will lie out
right, buys the compound and is Who'll
ly deceived as to the quality of the arti-
Gle he buys. And so on indefinitely, the
varieties of deception depending upon
the ingenuity of unscrupulous dealers.
This may seem to be strong picture,
but it is none to vivid. 1t is not easy
to overstate the extent and variety of
fraud resorted to to deceive customers
and to evade the law.
The Cleveland concern indemnifies
its customers against fines imposed for
violation of law, charging such custo-
mers one cent per pound extra to cover
such indemnify. This one cent per
pound extra of course finally comes
out of the pocket of the innocent and
deceived consumer, who pays from six
to ten cents per pound more than the
article is worth, including the one cent
pei pound extra that goes to the in
demnity fund to protect the rascally
dealer from the crime of selling it to
him fraudulently. The whole business
is rotten from top to bottom and from
center to circumference. | know of no
other business that processes to be re-
spectacle that is so completely sur
rounded and SO thoroughly permeated
with fraud and deceit.
1t should he borne in mind that the
deceitful and fraudulent practices that
have been herein but partially and
family described, are by no means con-
fined to Cleveland nor to the large
cities of the state.
The same fraud in kind and with in
Vulnerable forms prevails throughout
the state. Oleomargarine, enveloped
by fraud, has elbowed its way into our
markets, small as well as large, and is
fraudulently sold as butter all over
Ohio. 1t is not only SO sold in our
large markets but also in the corner
grocery of many small town. 1t has
found its way to restaurants vnd to
hotel tables. in small towns as well as
in larger ones, and in cities of all sizes
and of course wherever it goes it
crowds out the genuine product of the
diary. 1t has brought the butter mar
kets of the state to the very verge of
ruin. We have recently had fair pri es
but this is owing to the exceedingly
short make in the West, and prices
would now be much higher than they
are, but for the enormous amount of
oleomargarine that has been sold in
violation of law.
According to the report of the Sec
retary of state there was made in Ohio
in 1895, 53,678,077 of butter, dairy and
creamery. 1t may safely be estimated
that this butter would have sold for
two cents per pound more than it did,
il foleomargarine had not invaded the
markets in the semblance of butter,
thus crowding out the genuine article
and demoralizing the markets. This
means loss to the dairymen of the
state of more than 81 100000 annually.
Some good judges estimate the loss
much higher than | have done. The
foregoing estimate is certainly con-
servative one. 1t is quite possible that
the actual loss to the dairymen Of
Ohio is nearer two millions of collars
annually than one.
Pure butter cannot be successfully
produced in competition with beef tai
lew and lard which are the chief COM
ponents of oleomargarine, though for
purposes of deception as now made it is
sweetened little with small quantity
of fine creamery butter, and has a
touch of real butter flavor impaired to
it by churning the compound in milk.
Pure and healthful tallow. and lard
may now be used in the manufacture
of oleomargarine, but who knows the
character of the material that would
be used if vigilance should he relaxed
and prosecutions cease, leaving the
manufacturers to their own devices?
Is it not reasonable to suppose that
under such circumstances there would
be as much rottenness and crooked
ness found in the manufacture of the
stuff as has been practiced in the past
in its sale, as herein described?
The oleomargarne manufacturers
and dealers have been reaping rich
harvest and genuine butter has Ian
guished in our markets. This state Of
affairs became so desperately bad last
summer, that, as last resort, the
Ohio Dairy Union was formed for the
purpose of arraying the dairymen, but
ter dealers and all others interested,
against the wholesale and open viola
tion Of law. Every observant man
knows that against such lawlessness
and such systematic deception no sub
stantial progress can be made except
by organization. We must have thor
ough organization and it must be gem
eral. The dairymen of Ohio should
arouse themselves and present solid
front against this bold and unblushing
lawlessness. Our Dairy and Food Com
missioner, who is now attacking the
manufacturers, should know that he
has the dairymen in Ohio back of him
as sure and reliable support. The
great plants at Columbus and Cleve-
land engaged in this unlawful and dis
honest business should understand
that the dairymen and pure butter
dealers of the state stand sDlidly to-
gether demanding that our law be
strictly observed and that the violators
OF it be surely punished. These manu-
facturers are making money rapidly
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