Thirty-sixth Annual 'Convention 949 



the coloring of oleomargarine. Now is it not possible and would 

 it not be well for the dairjTnen to wi)rk for a law oonip<'lling oleo- 

 margarine or any mixture of oleomargarine with l)iitter to bo 

 served on the tables of hotels and boarding houses in a certain 

 form of dish. It slionld be something that imconsciously calls 

 attention of the consnmer to the fact that he is eating oleomar- 

 garine or a mixture of oleomargarine and butter. Thev have 

 tried to compel signs in stores and in boarding houses saving 

 "Oleomargarine is served here," or "Oleomargarine is sold here." 

 The boarding-house keeper would not like that perhaps ; it is too 

 arbitrary. But it seems to me it should be possible to compel 

 oleomargarine and its mixtures to be handled and served in a sim- 

 ple form of dish. Would it not be well for the dairymen to work 

 for such a plan rather than try to do anything about the color ? 

 The object is to be sure that the consumer knows what he is get- 

 ting. 



Prof. McKay: I seriously doubt whether that would be pos- 

 sible under our form of government. The only way we can chal- 

 lenge the color is by taxing it. In the present bill there is a 

 clause requiring that a party serving oleomargarine must display 

 a license in a conspicuous place. 



Mr. Frederiksen : Are they not compelled now to pack in 

 certain form of package ? 



Prof. McKay: Oh, yes; in a square package, one, three and 

 five pounds. 



W. E. Ayres, of Albany: Prof. McKay has advocated a 

 larger moisture content legal limit for unsalted than for salted 

 butter. As I understand the matter the legal limit of 16 per 

 cent, was set with the intent of placing it so high that no manu- 

 facturer would exceed that limit under normal methods of manu- 

 facture, at the same time making it as high as might be consistent 

 with the quality of the goods. Under our present conditions our 

 commission men are offering l/o to 21/^ cents premium on 

 unsalted butter. Is it not better to leave conditions as they are 

 than try to place unsalted butter on an equal selling basis with 

 the salted goods by the addition of a larger amount of water 

 which might prove injurious to the quality of the goods ? 



Prof. McKay: In bringing this up I refer to the European 



