SOCIETY OF CENTEAL ILLINOIS. 143 



should recognize them as legitimate competition, and should not look 

 upon these butterine foods that may be received and looked upon by 

 the public with favor as any special cause of complaint. The dairy- 

 men should like men true to their calling pursued their legitimate 

 business without dabbling in swine or oleomargarine. 



Let us look a little into the history of this nefarious business. 

 When Paris was beleagured by the German army in 1870, the inhab- 

 itants were put to great straits for some necessary articles of food, 

 butter was one of the most important. A French chemist then 

 invented oleomargarine as a substitute, and this animal grease was 

 gladly accepted as a makeshift for the absent butter and supplied the 

 craving of nature for a fatty matter to carry on the function of 

 nature. Very quickly the new manufacture appeared on this side of 

 the water, and was exhibited as a novelty at the annual exhibition of 

 the American Institute at New York in the winter of 1873. By 

 some it was denounced at that time as a vile stuff and would be a 

 dangerous enemy to the dairy interests, and it was foreseen and it 

 was predicted exactly what has since occured, viz: being a simulated 

 article, appearing under false pretenses, it would soon be degraded by 

 cheaperadulterations and substitutes into articles of food which would 

 be injurious to the public interest and health. A short time only 

 elapsed before butter and cheese were so extensively made from tal- 

 low, that the price of good beef fat and suet advanced so much as to 

 prohibit the manufacture. 



Perhaps the poet Gray realized how much real pain was covered 

 up in ignorance when he sung — 



To each his suffering; all are men 



Condemned alike to groan, 

 The tender for another's pain, 



Th' unfeeling for his own. 

 Yet ah ; why should they know their fate, 

 Since sorrow never comes too late. 



And happiness to swiftly Hies? 

 Thought would destroy their paradise 



Xo more; where ignorane is bliss 

 'Tis folly to be wise. 



It is to be hoped the present agitation of food adulteration may 

 go on, until there is not only a radical stop put to food adulteration, 

 but also a stop put to making mixed wines, brandies, beers, etc. The 

 Prohibitionists are engaged in a noble cause. They should not stop 

 at the fabrication of intoxicants, but should attack the man of sin 

 wherever wrong is done. The strong hook of steel should be 

 broken in food adulteration as well as dram-drinking. 



To the horticulturist, it is a pleasing thought to know his dish 

 of strawberries or raspberries, and cream from his pet Jersey are not 



