The Somerset reporter., 1901-03-07
The Oleomargarine Question.
Written and read by Andrew B. Cole in Som
erset Grange, Jan. 81.

Worthy Lecturer, Sisters and Brothers
am of the opinion that the people
have ample cause for alarm at the tre-
mendous illegal growth of the oleomar-
garine traffic in this country during the
past few years, which now appears tO
have reached proportions beyond the
power of the States to successfully regu-
late or control, and the present Federal
laws are altogether inadequate for the
emergency.
| believe that the States should be
protected in their rights to regulate
their internal affairs to the fullest ex-
tent in relation to articles Of food, which
have been adiudged, adulterated or of a
-s'o"oitful character, am do not think
. interstate commerce low OF the
Government should protect deceitful
imitation from the jurisdiction of the
State lave, even II the article in question
is In the original package and is shipped
from an outsider into the State In such
dation and cause of the enormous
amount OF fraud and illegal selling of
oleomargarine is In the great prof 8
which are derived from the sale OF the
imitation, because Of its absolute coun-
terfeit OF butter which enables unscrup-
ulous dealers to impose upon unsuspect-
ing customers. These profits are suffi-
GENTLY large to cause the retailer to run
L Il. 81
and they are further encouraged through
the guarantees of the manufacturers, of
protection against prosecutions under
the State law. Thirty-two States having
four-fifths Of the entire population OF
the United States, absolutely forbid the
manufacture and sale of the oleomarga-
rine, colored TO resemble butter. Thes e
laws have been upheld in the higher
courts without single exception, there
fore the policy of very large majority
of our people are plainly against the
existence OF the article in such counter
felt form.
The tax of ten cents per pound upon
oleomargarine, colored to resemble
butter, will not deprive the manufact
urers and dealers or consumers OF y
great amount of legal right they now
possess. Four-fifths of the colored ar.
ticle made is sold illegally now, as in-
dictated by the reports of the Treasury
department, and the only effect of this
tax, even were it prohbitive upon this
class OF oleomargarine, would be to pre-
vent the manufacture OF an article the
sale of which is contrary to the laws Of
thirty-two states OF the union. This tax
will bring the cost of the cOlored article
up to figure that will take from it the
probability of violating the laws Of the
State and Government and defrauding
innocent purchasers. While the reduc-
ton Of the tax on oleomargarine In its
natural color from two cents to "a cent
per pound will make 1t possible for the
man who really desires to consume oeo
margarine, to procure it at much
lower cost than before, the only differ
ence that it will not contain coloring
matter which | claim does not contribute
anything to its value. and l believe thu
manufacture and sale of oleomargarine
will continue under this measure and
those who desire cheap substitute for
butter, will purchase the uncolored
article. The only difference Is that the
counterfeit article, colored 10 imitation
OF butter, will no longer be accessible to
hotel keepers, restaurant and boarding
house proprietors at such prices as will
be an inducement for them to deceive
their guest, as now, and thus another
class OF consumers who have been sub
ject to imposition for more than twenty
years, will be able to know whether they
are eating butter fat or hog fat when
they spread their bread. Ii colored
oleomargarine is served 1t will be because
1t Is better, and not because 1t is cheaper
than butter.
1t seems to me that those who are
engaged in this oleQmargarine traffic
have absolutely no regard for state laws,
and regard the public as their legitimate
victim In whose behalf they resent the
interference of the general government.
The continual existence of such con-
dition | cannot but believe furnishes a
demoralizing example to our people in
trade, who are being tutored by this
oleomargarine interest In the art of
evasion and defiance of the legal con.
stituted authorities.
Some time about 1886 Congress was
asked to make some law TO regulate the
sale OF oleomargarine. Ii WAS then col
ored and sold for real butter and Con-
gress passed revenue law imposing
tax of two cents per pound on all oleo-
margarine that would be manufactured
thereafter. At that time there was
about "a 100000 pounds manufactured
and at the present, about loo, 900, 900
Some four years ago there was N bill
presented to Congress by General Grout
and referred to the committee on agri.
culture In regard to the illegal sale OF
oleomargarine the bill passed the House
but was not considered in the Senate, 80
the bill was defeated. Last year the
friends of the OLD bill got 10 earnest
about the matter and they got the same
old bill with section two added, impos-
ing tax of 10 cents per pound on all
oleomargarne colored in imitation Of
butter and reduced the tax on uucolored
Ia per cent per pound, This bill was
also presented by General Grout and
referred to the same committee and after
a hard fight it passed the House, Dec. 7.
1900, about TO l, and at the present
time It is before the Senate committee
and everything is being done that CAT
be done against It. Money Is plenty
with them and they are not afraid to puI
1t out. Probably the committee have
reported by this time and | think they
will report favorably, and then it will
undergo another hard fight before the
Senate and think it will become a law.
The OILY persons who really profits
from the sale of yellow oleomargarine
are those who practice deception and
fraud, and all we ask Is that people be
protected in the right to choose between
the two articles and IL the manufacture