The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-02
Moonshine Butter

1t was at the urgent solicitation of
dairymen that the present tax on
oleomargarine was established. An
effort has been made by the oleomar-
garine manufacturers in the recent
congress TO obtain the repeal OF the
present tax. The friends of the abro-
CATION Of the revenue tax contended
that they represented the interests Of
consumers, who wanted a substitute
for butter that would initiate the
real dairy product.
time imposes a tax Of 10 cents per
per pound on colored oleomargarine
which is sold in the open market at a
substitute for butter. 1t is easily
discerned that, as the coloring of cleo
margarine is not expensive, the object
for the removal of the tax on the
colored product is in the interests of
producers as well as consumers, whom
the producers claim would be the
chief beneticiaries.
The friends Of the abrogation of the
10 cents tax per pound on oleomar-
garine contend that dairymen are
actuated by mercenary motives in op-
posing the repeal Of the tax. Dairy
men are accused Of promoting a
monopoly and preventing the use of
colored oleomargarine by the penalty
of a 10 cents per pound tax on the
colored product. The opposition Of
dairymen to the repeal of the tax is
not to abolish the manufacture Of
oleomargarine, but to prevent the
placing on the market of an imitation
article that INSCRIPTIONS dealers
could substitute for butter.
Moonshine butter is unlaWfully
colored oleomargarine in evasion Of
the law and selling the compound for
butter. Moonshine butter cheats the
governments out Of the revenu tax
and also defrauds the public by sub
stituting oleomargarine for genuine
butter. How could the consumer be
benefited by the repeal of the tax on
oleomargarine if the price of the
colored product is marked up 10 or Is
cents per pound above the uncolored
article. Dairymen in opposing the
repeal of the tax are only seeking to
prevent manufacturers and vendors
from substituting colored oleomar-
garine for butter. Dairymen invite
honorable competition of artificial
butter with natures product, but
they oppose illegal substitution as
gaining money by false pretense.
Butter prices are regulated by de-
mand and supply and if values reach
prohibitive prices consumers can re.
sort to the use Of oleomargarine,
which would soon bring quotations
back to consumptive basis.
The unearthing of moonshine but.
ter factories and the prosecution and
punishment of manufacturers show
that public opinion is strongly in
favor OF just legislation which will
protect consumers against the frauds
Of m%oonshine oleomargarine being
substituted for butter. There is nc
opposition against the sale of colored
oleomargarine when sold on it's own
merits, but dairymen object to its
being negotiated as butter, to the
ruin of the dairy industry.-Dairy
Exchange.
Some people have a peculiar senti.
ment that women should not take a
positive interest in public affairs. In
other words they wish women to re.
main primitive. For public work is
merely cooperation and the interests
OF humanity are better served by
united effort. To keep women out Of
public affairs is to limit their progress
and SO retard civilization.