Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-04-19
COLOR WHILE YOU WAIT
Manufacturers Of Gutterine LAY Trap
toC RetauerS AJAX VII lead tS
neutrality-suspicious. not Liable
Uncle sam Watching
Have Bitten on Bait

sam Is that OF butterine, The fed,
eral law levies a tax OF T. vents per
pound on colored butterine and quar-
ter Of u cent on mcolored The stat.
utes OF Wisconsin prohibit the sale
OF the colored fraud in this state under
any circumstances, That is the situ.
alton on the surface, but beneath the
serene, plain statement of the law
there is going on some underground
work, The manufacturers Of butter
inc are seeking to lead retail dealers
into the trap of becoming manutao-
turors and thus TO expose them to
heavy penalty in the way of a fine,
Retail dealers in butter have lately
been receiving from certain manu-,
faoturer of hutterine a circular which
reads Ia part as follows.
The United States permits the
consumer to color butterine for use
on their family tables thereby u saw.
ing of Sd cents per pound, The
following method Is praotical-the re.
tail dealer sells the butterine uucol
ored, which is handed to the pur.
chaser on a piece OF parchment paper.
who requests the seller TO color IL.
The dealer has the butter eoloring in
bottle and measures the exact
amount required to color The butterlne,
lays the paper containing tho butter,
inc on his counter, spreads out the
butterino viii his butter ladie ana
works in the butter coloring just as
one would handle dough, The pur-
chaser Is then returned the Identical
butterine yellow and pleasing In ap.
pcarance."
The manufacturer further states TO
the retail dealer that he who viii
demonstrate how to color Will secure
a monopoly on the butterlne business
In his locality; and that he, the manu-.
facturer will furnish ooloring free
with instructions how to use with
each purchase. The obliging manu-,
iacturer further states that tho retail.
or who wishes to avail himself OF this
splendid opportunity to beat the gov.
eminent aud cheat his customers can
get the necessary coloring matter,
ampped with hts stock OF butteemo
by saying in his order. send ooloring
with order"
II appears that already large
number OF retailers have bitten on
the bait, but whether any arrests have
been made Is not known. The I'm,
Ia NJ a Oft 10 hu
the plotting manufacturer incures no
liability. He simply seeks nm outlet
for his manufactured product and
leaves the retail dealer to fight the
battle with the government, as he
certainly will have to do.
The United States statutes provide
that: ANY person that sells, vends
or furnishes oleomargarine for the
use and consumption OF others, OK
cept TO his own family table without
compensation, who shall add to or
mix with such oleomargarine any
artificial coloration shade of yellow,
shall also be held to be a manufac-
turer OF oleomargarine within the
the provisions thereof"
so II appears clearly that the re.
taller In the case proposed by the
manufacturer will become In the con.
temptation Of the law a manufacturer,
and one without license The pen
atty for engaging In such business
without the proper license is very
heavy. Why the licensed manufaotur.
ers seek to lead retailers into such
a trap is hard TO conjecture. The
license required by the law before
the retailer can do 80 much as mix
in coloring matter into one batch is
5000; the fine and penalties for en-.
gaging in the business without the
license Is much heavier.
The commissioner Of internal rev.
enue at Washington has instructed all
collectors OF internal revenue to re
port as manufacturers OF oleomargar.
Inc, subject 10 the special tax OF 5000,
all who add or mix into butterine any
coloring matter which will cause Il
TO look like butter OF any shade OF
| yellow. In addition OF the penalty
incurred by violation OF the federal
laws, there are ample provisions made
by Wisconsin statutes TO protect the
butter makers OF this state. II Is
hoped that no local retailers win be
lured into this Ubiquitous trap 10 en-
ticingly laid By the manufacturers Of
spurious butter. II viii be noted that
the plausible circular holds out 10
the retailer that he can save for him.
self the "a cents claimed by the
government as tax on the colored
butterine. The philanthropic manu-
facturer does not attempt his fraud
in the name OF cheaper butter for the
poor.