The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-02-13
Minnesota Congressman Counsels
Against the Use of Oleomargarine

tificiaily colored products and one
fourth of cent for the uncolored.
Let me tell you just what this
product is that is causing all this
trouble.
It is made-so representatives of
the manufacturers testified before
our committee on Agriculture in
the House of Representatives.
cocoanut oil with a little other
somewhat better oil added usually
peanut oil. These oils are hard
ened to the same consistency as
butter fat by trick of chemistry.
Then, they mix these oils with salt
and colored matter, warmed togeth-
er and stirred in water in exactly
the same machine used for the
manufacture of oleomargarine, and
turn out a product which is so like
butter that an expert butter tester
of the United States Department of
Agriculture was fooled and scored
a pound of it as butter.
1t is put up in quarter pound
pieces, wrapped in parchment pa
per, four to the pound package. 1t
is yellow as butter, or as colored
oleomargarine. It has about the
same degree of moisture and salt
in it as the best butter. When it
! is cut with a knife, it cuts, feels,
acts and spreads on bread, just like
butter. While this product looks
like butter and tastes like butter,
the nutritious food value of it is sc
low that no comparison can be
made of it with butter.
The manufacturers of this sub
stitute call it by some high sound
ing trade name, and say on the
package that it is a cooking fat or
shortening.
Due to the decision of the Rhode
Island Judge, the manufacturers
were free to put on nation wide
advertising and sales campaign
without regulation, an in direct
competition with dairy and pork
products. It has been estimated
that more than 100000 pounds
were made and sold in the twelve
months prior to July 1, 1929.
In a recent case before Federal
Judge in Kansas City, witnesses
testified to the effect that this sub
stitute produce was advertised, SOLD
and used as butter.
If the manufacturers of this pro-
duct are interested in placing upon
the market pure cooking com.
pound, why do they color it to look
like butter? Why do they salt and
flavor it to taste like butter? Why
do they place as much moisture in
it as is used in butter, when the
real cooking compounds now on the
market never contain more than
per cent moisture, with no coloring
and no flavor? I will leave it to my
listeners to answer these questions
In my opinion, these substitute
products come wholly within the
provisions of existing law, but the
lcourt has ruled otherwise, and con
seauently we must pass additional
Legislation to remedy the evil.
The American farmer, be hi
grain or dairy farmer, is entitled tt
his American market, without hav
ing to continually face ruinou
competition of cheaply produced
imported and competitive farm
products.
The Haugen bill was introduced
at the request of the cooperative:
of the country, and while its pas
sage in Congress will not entirely
solve the dairyman's problem, il
will nevertheless go a long way
towards the sterilization of hi:
market.
i In conclusion, let me say few
words about the activities in Con
Igress.
The general farm marketing act
was approved during the specia
session; the farm board appointed
and it is hoped that the policies
laid down in the law will be carried
out for the benefit of American ag
riculture. The farm problem does
not solve itself over night-nor car
Legislation do it alone. To make
it a success, it takes cooperation
on the part of both the govern
ment and the farmers.
The tariff question is by no means
settled. The Hawley tariff bill
which passed the House in May
and which was most unsatisfactory
to the people of the middle west, il
now in the Senate power to report
a bill which will give parity to ag.
riculture and at the same time be
fair to industry and to the consum-
ers of the country.
Another fast growing evil, which
should and will have the attention
of Congress is the rapid extension
of mergers, chain stores and chain
banks. The very life of our small
communities is being threatened
The small retail merchant, who
grew up with his community and
who helped generously of his time
and money to make his little towr
the best place in the world in which
to live, is making his last stand
fIe helped develop the great com
munity spirit, which has made oul
small cities and villages the rea
stable back bone of the nation. He
has a problem in common with the
farmer and the two should ride