The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-18
Butter Dealers Are Seriously
Disturbed Just Now.
OVER oLEOMARGARINt BILL
No "Adultsratsd Butter as II Is Called,
Can Be Sold Abroad Objection 10
Labelling Product Impure.

New York. April llS-Certain amendments
IN the olemargarine bill now before con-
gress have created CONSERVATION amons:
the leading exporters of real butter In this
city. They say that II the bill Is passed
In its present form II will practically
kin the present enormous export trade ir
butter. and will increase greatly it's price,
as well as that OF oleomargarine.
That part OF the bill 10 which the ex-
porters object most seriously is section
4, which reads i'm part:
"Adulterated butter is hereby defined 10
mean n grade OF butter produced by mix
ing, reworking, rechurnng In milk or
cream, refining or in any way producing
a uniform. purified or improved produc'
OF butter"
The bill adds that an packages OF such
butter shall be labelled "adulterated but
ter"
According 60 a prominent exporter OF
the product. no butter now guaranteed
as the pure product and so exported can
be sold as such it the proposed law goes
into effect.
The reworking referred TO in the Sec
ton makes all the trouble" said the ex-
porter Really it is perfectly harmless
and absolutely necessary for the produce
tion of butter for this reason: The best
grade of ordinary butter Is collected In
small quantities in the west. It comes In
small lots. each Of which Is different in
color. When this Is 10 be massed IL is
natural that It must all be of uniform
color For that purpose IL is reworked.
In most cases more salt Is also applied,
TO PRESERVE LOOKS.
"Reworking is done simply TO preserve
the looks OF the product No one would
color Yet under this law butter which
is now absolutely pure and the quality
Of which is guaranteed under oath must
hereafter be marked 'aduterated and
taxed at the rate OF ten cents a pound.
we don't object so much to the tax
as we do TO the labelling IL as impure. We
couldn't sell il i'm foreign countries if
that were done.
'rhe Oleomargarine bill now before
congress was started some four years
ago by the creamery men OF the west to
put an additional fax of eight cents "A
pound on oleomargarnc and drive the.
business out of existence.
This bill has passed the house, has
been before the senate and there amended
and is now back in the house before the
agricultural committee. The bill is en-
| tirely in behalf of the western creamery
men and renovated butter men. They be-
lieve that by driving out oleomargarine
product 10 n summer price of 20 cents
and a winter price of 40 to 30 cents and
absolutely control the business.
prices Of butter during the last year.
especially since January R.aye been the
highest I'm the world. The American con-
sumner is paying today ten cents a pound
more than the Canadian, nine cents a
pound more than the Danish and about
eight cents a pound more than the Eng
lsh consumer. Ii would not seem from
these prices as II the American creamery
men needed any protection.
A SERIOUS OFFENCE.
offerce has been committed by the sellers
OF oleomargarine I'm selling To the pub
lie this article for butter. and that the
public has been imposed upon.
This under the law, Is crime. and
this bill Is supposed 10 drive out that
fraud. but nothing i'm the bill has charged
the penalties against the oleonfargarine
manufacturer or seller either civilly or
criminally no increased term of imprison-
ment is made in this bill. A tcn-cent tax
is put upon IT,
whatever quantity OF oleomarRarine
may be crushed out of consumption by
this BILL that consumption will turn TO
butter and the public will have to pay
an increased price for butter or 40 with
out Il. If the consumer of oieomargarine
wishes 10 continue to eat oleomargarine
| he must pay the ten cents additional price
for oleomargarine, put on by this BILL
Either way. the consuming public will bc
| the victims OF the bill. AS the bill now
reads. the public. not the Offender, must
pay the penalty.
THE export business, by this bill. will
be entirely wiped out by the enhanced
| value OF butter and the arbitrary brand
ing OF butter is 'adulteratcd butter when
| IL is not