The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-24
DEFENDS THE DIARIES.
d. Nj. Wilson Answers Attack of Trav-
cling Men.

The petition sent to the governor by
the Wichita travelling men in regard to
the poor quality of Kansas butter has
called forth the following defense of
Kansas dairies by D. NJ. Wilson, state
dairy commissioner
In honest defense of the honor of
the state and its dairy interests 1 am
forced to defend their rights insomuch
as a complaint founded upon the ma
terial furnished by the hotels and res
taurants as butter, would be unjust
to the dairy interests of not only Kan
sas but of this great commonwealth.
Since the first of December, which
marked the special advance In butter
prices, I have noticed that a substitute
for butter Is being quite generally fur
nished. For the past two months /
have kept close check and find that
the greater number Of hotels and res
taurants are using Oleomargar1ne or
butterine As the writer has had &C.
taurants his temporary home l can
truly sympathize with the commercial
travellers.
This department is doing. and will
continue to do, everything in its pow
er to improve the conditions COM
planned of, but as there is no law reg
ulating the sale of oleomargarine in
this state the first real relief that we
can legitimately expect will be when
the fresh spring make Of butter reaches
the markets and the price is lowered
close to that which is now being paid
for butterine.
I'm regard to the condition of Kan
sas cream, as complained of by the
petitioners, I am frank to admit that
a great Improvement is needed and
we are hopeful of securing this i'm
provement in the very near future. 10
some it may be interesting to know
that not until 1907 did Kansas have
any particular legislation governing
the manufacture and sale of dairy
products. While most of the sur
rounding states have had in effect a
dairy law for the past 10 or Is years,
Kansas neglected this important mat
ter. The first dairy law which was
enacted by the legislature was imprac-
ticable, as it did not apply to the &C
tual conditions that existed. This was
in a measure due to the several
amendments made at the time the bill
was passed. To make it less effec-
tive only $4,000 was appropriated for
its enforcement. Again, during the
session of 1909 a strenuous effort was
made on the part of those who were
familiar with the conditions and who
appreciated the necessity of having the
dairy law amended and a greater ap-
preparation to make possible its en-
forcement- Provisions were made in
these amendments governing the age
of cream, the sanitary conditions sur
rounding its production, transporta-
tion and manufacture. 1t also pro-
vides that those who handle dairy
products must have permit grant
ed by the state. These permits are
only granted to those who pass a sat
1sfactory examination and whose place
of business meets the requirements of
the law. There are nearly 5000
examinations to be given and it is
hoped that these will be completed
about June 1. AS soon as the permits
have been issued and the cream buy
erS in the state have been brought I'M
der the control of the department a
cream grading system will be institut-
ed which will eliminate much of the
undesirable cream which has been
furnished in the past. Further the
permit Of any person who is found
conducting his place of business in an
unclean manner will be cancelled. This
department will, therefore, appreciate
any Information regarding any unsani-
tary place where milk or cream is
handled.
within the last six months sew
eral hundred new buildings have been
erected, many of which are now