The Washington times., 1902-01-23
MRS. SMITH
OPPOSES 0LEO.
Appears Before the House
Agricultural Committee.
PRODUCT AFFECTS MATRIMONY.
Ohal of Swine md Steer. She AZ.
firms, Has Taken the Place of
Butter on the Markets.

For nearly an hour yesterday Mrs
| Charlotte Smith. president of the Wom-
| ems Industrial League, talked to the
| House Committee on Agriculture against
oleomargarine and in favor of the Nc
| Cleary or Grout bill
The members OF the committee appeared
| much interested. Among other things
| she said:
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen OF the
committee: l appear before you to rep
resent the industrial women who are
largely the purchasers as well as the
consumers Of butter or butterine. There
are nearly four million self-supporting
women who have no voice in the enact
Ing OF laws In State or national legisla-
lures. and yet "a per cent of all the
wealth OF the nation is created by wom-
en- in light manufacturing industries.
Notwithstanding this, they are helpless
spectators, looking on at unjust laws be-
ing enacted in legislative halls
Passing of the Dairy Maid.
The pretty dairy maid is creature of
the past. Man, the adulterator of food
products. has usurped the place once oc-
cupied by women who made pure butter
for the markets of the world. Behold the
result of mans butter making. We are
nation of dyspeptics because of the
poisonous compounds used and forced upon
the market
The offal of swine and steer has large
ly taken the place of butter upon the
markets. This matesial, which women for
merly used for the manufacture of 5oap,
is now utilized into so-called butter
product. and backed up by paid scientists.
attorneys. and lobbyists, as well as a sub
sidized press, and, therefore, the unsus-
pecting consumer is imposed upon by pur-
chasing butterine in place of creamery
butter made by women.
Therefore, the decline in pure butter
products has also affected the nIatrimo-
NAL market. for matrimony has declined
90 per cent in the States OF New York and
massachusetts alone, by bachelors who
are able to maintain and support wives
and families. Thirty-two per cent of the
nom marrying men reside in the country
and rural districts. l attribute this de-
crease in matrimony by farmers largely
because women are no longer necessary
adjunct to the farmer lads to help them
create wealth. owing to the existence OF
the oleo-cotton- seed -soap-fat combine
which has thus deprived many women ant
girls of legal providers and forty millions
people Of pure COW butter in this country
alone.
Army of Inspection Needed.
Let oleo stand on its merits, label it
as such. use no coloring matter in the
manufacture OF the oleo product, so that
1t cannot deceive the consumer But, mark
me. it will take an army of inspectors
as large az that OF the United States in
the Philippines to keep the butterine man
ufacturers as pure butter imitators out
OF the market. For they have a vast army
OF lobbyists to promote the oleo industry
during every session of Congress, for the
success OF this product is in false rep
rescntation.
Il desire 10 state, gentlemen. that was
the first woman in this country to take up
this subject and agitate the lost cause Of
the COW before Congress. ! have made a
bitter fight for years against the oleo in
dustry, and I do not own a heifer. much
less COW. nor have I any interest in a
COW except in the direction of pure food
products. and / am conceited enough to
think that 1t was largely through my ef-
forts that the oleo manufacturers were
compelled to label it even as they have
Then ex-senator Warner Miller of
New York was chairman of the Committee
on Agriculture. I literally carpeted ev-
cry State with petitions, memorials, etc.
thus to head Off the multi milliOnaires
who pay their female employees starva-
tion wages and receive such big diyi-
dends from the sale of the offal of the
steer and swine. cottonseed OIL ETC.
which is manufactured into so-called
pure scientific butter wherein the actual
cost of this pure butter is from five to
eight cents per pound. Therefore, It
should not be sold for over ten cents per
pound. This oleo product would then net
the oleomargarine manufacturers profit
of 80 per cent.
Labels for OIeO.
Gentlemen, in conclusion, have this
suggestion to make: Compel the manu-
facturer to label all oleo on the market
as such; compel boarding house, res
taurant. hotel. and eating house keepers
to label all placed on their tables as toleo.
for those who prefer scientific. health
full, pure white butter products can pur-
chase and eat il at eight or ten cents per
pound.
Let those who desire TO eat and pay
the market price for pure cow butter |
have what they want and are willing to |
pay for. though it cost fifty cents per
pound But, gentlemen. suppress steer |
butter imposition, allow no colorins mat
ter to be used in the manufacture of the |
same, place 1t upon the market in all its |
purity 1t looks as we'll
Not until then will the matrimonial |
market again open up. for the farmers |
daughters are cTowdiDg out the city and |
town girls because OF being compelled |
to flock to the large cities for employ |
ment and in search of husbands. II such |
a law was passed it would keep those at
home who desire TO become farmers |
wives. and would encourage women and
girls to become expert butter makers and |
thereby make happy homes