The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-27

The diarymen, no doubt, will be in
terested in hearing something Of the
oleomargarine situation as seen by one
not particularly familiar with con-
gressional procedure" said State Dairy
Commissioner r. #. Flint, who has just
returned from Washington.
by way Of explanations received
from the officers of the National Dairy
Union an urgent reuest to attend the
hearings before the AGRICULTURAL com
mittee Of the house of representatives.
On my arrival there found that there
were numbers of persons from various
northern states, representing state, ma
tional, and private dairy interests, as
well as those who were there in behalf
Of oleomargarine.
There are six bills referred to the
committee, all relating to oleomargarine
and one to the manufacture and sale
Of butter. The hearings were granted
by the committee for the purpose of
discussing the general questions, rath-
er than any one BILL and took on the
character somewhat Of a trial. The
oleomnrgarine interests Consisting of
cotton seed oil, packers, manufacturers,
dealers and, in lesser degree, the
consumers, argued their side of the
case.
After they had been heard the dairy
men had their innings. Lawyers, both
on the committee and representing
their interests, questioned those sub
hitting statements and, as In a court
case, attempted to discredit the evil
dence of their opponents.
After listening for Ave days to the
questions asked, was impressed with
the thought that the members on the
committee, who represented the cleo
interests, were much more DESTROYS OF
bringing out transformation rather
than the facts in the case. The propo-
sitton as I understand it, is as follows:
In order to get any legislation in 1902
the datrymen were compelled to con-
cede to a compromise, and that COM
promise was the introduction of the
word 'artihcially' before 'colored In imi-
tation Of yellow butter Prior to 1909
when oleomargarine was colored coal
tar dyes were used, but since they
have selected the fats of Guernsey, Jer-
sey and grass fed cattle, and used 9TH
er oils, such as mustard, certain grades
OF cotton seed OIL, etc, and June but
ter to bring up the color without COM
ing under the reach of the law, at
least to a great extent. 1t has taken
the oleo manufacturers some time to
perfect their plans for making and dis
posing Of their non artificially' colored
product. In the meantime high living
has become common and the accom-
panied cost has, so the cleo interests
think, opened UP an opportunity for
them to secure legislation that will
permit them to color arrificially again
and thereby make a less expensive, to
them, grade Of oleo that viii sell le-
gally for a nearer true butter price.
"a manufacturer of cleo testified that
the fats that produced a natural colored
article, which is a light straw color
according to a decision of the United
States supreme court, made a better
favored oleomargarine and st less
to produce than the higher colored ar
ticle that more closely resembled but
ter. He also stated that 1t cost from
ten to sixteen cents per pound to pro-
duce pound of oleo. It was brought
out by the dairy and food commission
er OF Wisconsin that the average profit
to the retail merchants of that state
was 2.5 times as great on oleomargarine