Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-06-21
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
NO RELIEF FOR BOGUS BUTTER.

ments of that tribunal announced on
Monday which are of general Importance
and which deserve more than passing
attention. CONSPICUOUS among these Is
the decision in one so-called oleomar-
garine case, which came up to the court
from Philadelphia. The appellants had
been convicted under the oleomargarine
law of selling oleomargarine not marked
and branded as required. They had APP
pealed from the circuit court to the
court of appeals, but in vain, the latter
court affirming the original Judgment.
The case was brought to the supreme
court to determine the constitutionality
of the law, the appellants attacking it on
the ground that it was more pure food
law than revenue law, and thus an in
fringement upon the police powers OF
the state. The supreme court regarded
this plea as not well taken and dismissed
it. and conse Qucntly the Judgment OF
the lower court stands and the law in
the case is approved as constitutional.
This must be regarded as an important
victory for pure food and for honest
business methods. There can be no
doubt that unvillinguess to mark oleo-
margarine as what it is is inspired by
desire to have it passed of as butter for
a higher price than it could command as
oleOmargarine. Indeed, no other mo
five is conceivable. Goods must be sold
under some name, and if their true name
is withheld the obvious presumption Is
that a false name Is to be used, or I'M
piled, or at any rate that customers are
to be encouraged or permitted to accept
them for what they are not. On no
principle of ethics can it be regarded as
a hardship to require the truth to be
made known. For it is simply and
solely the truth that is at issue.
Whether oleomargarine is or is not a
healthful article of food. or is or is not
as good as butter, and whether the man
ufacture and sale of it are or are not
public benefits, are other questions en-
tirely apart from the present. The pres
ent and primary question is whether
oleomargarine shall pass as oleomar-
garine, or shall be palmed of as butter.
TO that question it is supremacy crafty
ing to have an authoritative answer from
the tribunal of last resort, and an an
swer which will apply universally
throughout the land, without regard to
local regulations or to local neglect
New York Tribune.
>oo<
TO EMANClPATE THE FARMERS WIFE.
Modern invention and scientific re-
search have done much to tighten the
burdens of the farmer. Inventive skill
has not only facilitated the operations of
husbandry by supplying labor-saving
machinery, but it has adapted many of
the conveniences and comforts OF the
city to farm life.
But inventive genius has done very
little for the farmers wife. 1t has re-
lieved her of butter-making through the
MULTIPLICATION of the modern creamery.
but in doing so it has also diverted the
profits Of this industry to the farmers
pocket, whereas the proceeds of butter
making formerly were conceded by
custom and precedent to the farmers
wife.
The farmer has the telephone and free
mail delivery, and he rides all day long
on sulky pillow or on a reaper that cuts
the grain and binds it into sheaves. 1t is
doubtless only question of time when
machines will husk his corn and dig his
potatoes. Bnt the drudgery of the week
washing and ironing is still with the
farmers wife. While the lord of the
fields rides in indolent comfort in sulky
pillow the wife bends over washtub or
wrestles with the hot irons two days out
of every week.
A promise of belated relief for the
farmers wife Is seen in the proposition
of Representative Frost of Wisconsin TO
establish a steam laundry at every cross
roads in the state, to which the farmers
washing and Ironing may be brought
every week As the state is dotted all
over with creameries and cheese facto-
ries. it would be an easy matter TO OPP
crate steam laundries in connection with
them.
There is nothing impossible or vision
airy about Mr.. Frost's plan. 1t embodes
the principle of cooperation which has
already been successfully applied TO
nearly every form of agricultural
activity from the old grist and saw mills
to the modern creamery. Divest the
farmers household of this form of
drudgery and then introduce in the
kitchen some of the modern labor-saving
devices that are used in hotels and the
life of the farmers wife will begin TO
approach that standard of ease and
comfort long since attained by the
farmer self.-Chicago Record Herald.
>oOS
HAZlNo PRACTICE WILL BE STOPPED.
The war department has at last pro-
mulgated a rule that will put an end to
hazing and make the young men
educated at the government expense at
the West Point academy behave them
selves like gentlemen. The rule defines
what hazlng is, and Furnishes any viola
ton Of it with dismissal from the acad-
envy. This is not particle too severe,
for the hazing at West Point had grown
to be rank evil. There seemed 10 be |
no limit to it or TO the insulting demands
made on the plebs, save the will of the
hazer. If he were of cruel disposition,