The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-12-08
A TALK TO DAIRYMEN
THE OHIO DAIRY UNION. ITS
OBJECTS AND AIMS.

. ~ W NSAAAfAo
1t is always desirable when organiz-
ing an association that is designed to
be permanent to select name that
shall express the purposes OF the as
sociation as fully as may be. The
name "Ohio Dairy Union" adopted by
the association for which l speak to-
day does not fully do this. We do in
deed contemplate bringing into the
Union" all dairymen in the state
whose interest in the great work we
have undertaken can be sufficiently
aroused to induce them to take MEM
bership with US and to assist us, and
we hope in time to secure such men,
bership as will enable us to rightly
claim that we fully and fairly represent
the dairymen of Ohio in our work. But
we 90 much farther than that. We de-
sire to enlist the active cooperation of
all dealers in pure butter, whether at
wholesale or retail, and of as many
other law abiding citizens as possible
who insist upon honest dealing in oleo-
margarine and who want it made possi-
BILE for consumers to procure pure but
ter when they called for it, instead of
the inferior compounds so freely Of
fered in our markets and now masquer-
aiding under the name and in the SEM
blance of butter.
Dairymen's associations are usually
educational only in purpose. Their
sessions are largely devoted to discuss
ions concerning best breeds of cows
for milk production, best methods of
farming, and wisest systems of feeding
so that the largest amount of milk can
be produced at lowest possible cost,
and also to the best and most approved
methods of manufacture that, if
followed, will enable the skillful maker
to place the finished dairy product
upon the market in the highest state
of excellence attainable. The Ohio
Dairy Union has nothing to do with
these questions. We do not conflict
in the slightest degree with the
dairymen's associations. We supple
ment their important work. We begin
where they leave off. Their aim is to
50 instruct their members that dairy
products of the best possible quality
may be placed upon the market at the
lowest possible cost. Our mission is
to secure the enforcement of such laws
as will protect these products from the
dishonest competition of inferior COM
pounds so that the skill and economy
practiced in producing tho genuine
product of the dairy may not be lost
by reason of demoralized markets
caused by the sale of limitations or
substitutes in disguise.
AT present the chief object Of the
Ohio Dairy Union is to secure the
strict enforcement of our oleomarga-
rine law, which forbids the coloring of
oleomargarine and also to secure such
to our law as experience
may show to be necessary for the high
est possible protection Of the dairy
interests of the state. Your attention
is therefore called to our oleomarga-
rine law, to its open and fragrant
violation throughout the state and to
the necessity for its strict enforce
ment.
This subject appeals to the material
interests of every man in Ohio who
milks cows, however small his dairy,
whether the milk produced be sent to
a cheese factory or to creamery, or
whether it be manufactured on the
farm where produced or be disposed of
in the milk markets of the state 1t
also materially affects the business of
every grocer or butter dealer in Ohio
who desires to deal in pure butter,
who wishes to do an honest business,
and who demands to be protected from
the dishonest competition of inferior
compounds that are now being palmed
of upon an unsuspecting public as
genuine butter.
1t directly effects every consumer
who desires to use pure butter upon
his table, and none of its limitations or
substitutes.
According to the official report Of
the Secretary of State there are now
nearly 100000 cows MIXED in Ohio.
Estimating the value of these cows at
$35. 90 each, which in view of the large
number of high priced and: thorough
bred COWS owned in the state, is a con-
seratiye estimate, we have nearly
$2l, 100000 invested in cows alone.
Add to this the cost of about four hun
dred cneese factories and creameries
now IN operation in Ohio with their
steam engines, pumps, separators, vats
presses, and appurtenMlces belonging
to them, and again adding the value Of
farm lands devoted to dairying, estima-
ting three acres per COW and valuing
the land at $4,000 per acre, and we
have at least $75,000,000 invested in
our state, il this great industry. We
have population Of over three mill
ions in Ohio. 1t may safely be asser-
ted that nine tenths OF this population
who are old enough to form an intelli-
gent opinion, prefer pure butter to any
of the limitations or substitutes that
have been or may be offered for it 1t
is therefore not merely our dairymen
and butter dealers who are deeply in
terested, or should be, in this subject
but nearly all our people Of every class
and in every avocation. This hasty
fash light will reveal to some
extent the magnitude and i'm
portance Of this great industry that
has suffered so severely during the last
few years from the encroachments Of
filled cheese" and oleomargarine, the
dealers in which have lived, thrived,
AID fattened on fraud, and neither OF
which business could have seriously
injured The dairy industry, II he COM
pounds named had been placed upon
markets in their own names and had
been honestly sold.
II also shows the Importance OF the
enforcement Of such laws as will suit
ably protect the great army OF consum-
ers Of the state.
After three years Of continued strug-