The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-04-19

Gov. Stone made public a letter address
ed to him by Secretary OF Agriculture Ham
llton In answer to r request for Information
relnting 20 the enforcement OF the oieomat'
garin laws. II Ia as follows "ln pursu'
ance Of your request for Information, rs 10
the dairy and food division OF this depart
ment for the past year, In its efforts 10
enforce the oleomnrgaiin and renovated
butter laws enncted In 1899, respec iuly
report That Immediately upon the law
going into effect there were printed and dis
lributed 10 dealers throu bout the state
10000 copies OF the oleomargarin law, and
10000 copies OF tho renovated butter law.
Suitable record books were prepared and
form OF license and placards were printed,
and agents were instructed TO take samples
Of suspected goods for analysis. The report
Of the commissioner shows that during year
ending December 21, 1899, 400 suspected
samples Of oeomargarin wero taken ana
analyzcd sevonty-five OF these were iound
TO he pure butter, twenty-seven renovated
butter and 800 were olcomargarin. During
the year 2j6 prosecutions for selling olco-
margarin were brought. OF these. lOOcases
were brought to "a termination either by
magistrates or In the courts, ,seventy-siN wore
dismissed by the magistrates or ignored py
grand iurles eighty cases were pending De-
cember 81, 1899. Since January 1, 1900, All
licenses TO sell oleomargarin have been
issued, and one license has been taken out
for the manufacture Of oloomargarin. The
chemists, reports are not all in, but the num-
ber of samples analysed OF oleomargarin
reported rs having been made since Jhnu-
airy !, 1900, is i07. Anumber of samples aro
in tho hands Of the chemists awaiting anaiy-
81, rN hat hnt
brought suits In oleomargarin eases to the
number OF about 100, and Of those over sew
enty are in the city OF Philadelphia. The
department has been embarrassed in It's
dealing with the oleomargarin question
owing 20 a contest in the courts over the
color clause OF the late law. This providor
has been contested both in Pittsburg and
Philadelphia, and cases were brought II
ench city to test fits co stitutionality. De
cisious by the lower courts sustaining the
law were rendered in December, 1899, and II
January 1900. These eases were apIealec
to the Superior Court. and one Philadelphia
ease was argued in March and a decision /.
expected in tho course Of week or two
when the court convencs Every effort ha!
been made 20 lush these cases, and the
courts. at the request of our attorneys, have
advanced them on the list. II n favorabl,
decision IS handed down the way will ther
be clear for n more vigorous enforcement o
the law, and pending this dicision the de
partment is collecting evidence and is al
ready 20 bring additional prosecutions ni
soon AS the law Is declared TO be consttu.
tloua. The courts of Philadelphia and Pitts
burg are greatly burdened with the multi
mdc Of eases that they are called upon tc
hear and our attorneys in Philadelphia, ir
order to secure prompt hearing, have com
municated with the District Attorney. re-.
duosting that the casts lie heard at as carly
Il date rs possible. The oleomargarin cases
however, are only portion Of the large
number that the Pure Food Department !,
called upon 10 bring TO trial. The tota
number Of samples taken 10y the agents lasi
year including oleomargarin. was 1863, ant
of these 1926 were analy1ed and n large
number of suits were brought, taxing oti
the time Of our attorneys and that OF the
Court