Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-05-01
PENROSE FIGHTS OLEO
Defends Farming and Dairy Inter-
ssts Against Bogus Butter Men.
HE GIVES FACTS AND FIGURES
A Strong Argument In Favor of Pro
lection For Those Who Have Suf'
fered From the Operations Of the
OIeomargarine Trust.
Especial Corrcspondence.)


rose has been widely complimentcd
upon his speech delivered in the United
States senate in favor of the bill in
tended to protect the farmers of the
United States from the oleomargarine
trust
Senator Penrose prefaced his speech
by declaring that no state in the union
was moro interested in the proposed
legislation than Pennsylvania.
PENNSYLVANIA S INTERESTS.
The returns of the census of June
l, 1900" he said, show that the live
stock industry of Pennsylvania has
value of $1O9, $780, OF this the dairy
industry, counting simply cows kept
for milk of the age of years and
over, represents a sum of $29, 141 sci,
and the value of neat cattle, outside OF
cows kept for milk, amounts to $l3,-
921 $50, making total for COWS and
neat cattle in Pennsylvania of S43,0G3,-
191 The value of the production OF
these animals per year has not yet been
computed by the census department,
but by comparing the number of dairy
COWS as given by the census of 1880,
with the present census there has been
a gain of 1858 head, an increase OF
II per cent. The amount of butter
manufactured from these animals
amounts to about 10000, 900 pounds per
year, and the amount of milk produced
to about 440, 100000 gallons. There ara
at present in Pennsylvania $50 cream
cries manufacturing butter. In the
plant of each of these there is invest
ed an average of $4,000, which would
represent $2,568,000 capital.
The income TO the people OF my
state in a single year from butter alCne
amounts to between sixteen and eigh
teen million dollars, and the milk pro-
duct, estimated at cents per gallon,
represents about $35, 900, 900 additional.
This immense sum of money is
new product each year, adding this
much to the actual wealth of the state
annually, and has the advantage Of be-
ing distributed throughout all of the
farm homes of the commonwealth, 60
ing to the support of more than 1,000,-
coo people who are engaged in agricul.
ture, enabling them to maintain them
selves in comparative comfort.
"OIeomargarine can be manufactured
at from to 8 cents per pound, de-
pending upon the quality and fiuctua-
tions in the price of the materials that
compose it. With the present govern
ment tax of 2 cents added, the total
cost of the manufacture is from 10 to
II cents per pound.
This makes it possible for the oleo-
margarine manufacturer to place his
product upon the market at price be-
low the cost price of butter. The
inevitable consequence will be to drive
out the butter-making industry"
FAVORED THE TAX.
senator Penrose said the tax of 10
cents per pound would raise the cost
price of oleomargarine to from II to
10 cents d pound, which is about the
cost of manufacturing a good article of
butter. The effect would be to protect
the farmer. Manufacturers have been
protected for many years and the far
mer should now be protected.
There is another reason why ole9-
margarine should be taxed. Instead
Of oleo being marked and sold as such
it is in many cases colored in imitation
of butter and sold as butter. This is q
fraud upon the public as well as a
menace to a very important branch OF
the agricultural industry.
THE imposition of a 10 cent tax, tc
be collected before the article is per.
mitted to be exposed for sale" said
Senator Penrose, will remove in {
great degree the temptation to commit
this fraud, and will be to that extent
in the interest of public morals"
eve are not ready to substitute The
oleomargarine factory for the butte
industry in the state of Pennsylvania
eve are not willing that the profits
of our domestic animals shall be takel
away from their legitimate source
and given to a select syndicate of capi
talists, in order that they may becom
inordinately rich.
"The commissioner of internal reve
nue. reports for the fiscal year endin
June 30, 1899, that there We're, il
round numbers, 91,000,000 pounds o
oleo manufactured in the Unite
States, of which eleven and one.h 4,
million pounds were sold in Penney
vania. In the manufacture OF this iI
mense amount only 1.72 per cent. {
the material used was butter.
Against this imposition the homes
farmer and daryman should be prl
tected
at may be well to remember tina
the farmers of the country are anon
our very best citizens, and there is n
class that is more deserving of tn