402 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



not a great deal of work in the way of prosecutions has been clone 

 it is evident' that but for the possibility of such prosecution many 

 dealers would sell the highest shade of yellow oleomargarine that 

 they could secure. 



The manufacturers of oleomargarine are this year making a 

 vigorous campaign for the further sale of this product. Notwith- 

 standing the fact that all materials from which oleomargarine is 

 made have increased in price yet the finished product is this year 

 sold for less than it was a year ago, and therefore more dealers 

 have been induced to take out retailers' license and start handling 

 the substitute product. 



It is quite evident that an attempt is being made to introduce the 

 product wherever possible and that a low price is to be the attrac- 

 tion. The high price of butter and the low price that is beinj^ 

 made on oleomargarine are evidently depended upon to still further 

 increase the sales of the substitute product this winter. 



Oleomargarine does not compete with butter, but it takes the 

 place of butter nevertheless. AVhile the makers sometimes adver- 

 tise it as a better article than butter, no real attempt has been 

 made to compete with butter on any such grounds. It is distinchly 

 a substitute for the real article and not a competitor in the strict 

 sense. It is a substitute for butter in another sense, that is it is 

 too often served in restaurants and hotels in the place of butter 

 and so takes the place of l)utter by fraud and deception. 



It is probable that some new attempt may be made this winter 

 in Congress to repeal or amend the present oleomargarine statute 

 wrich places a ten cent tax on the colored variety and the cream- 

 ery and dairy people of this state should be aroused and watchful 

 in their own interests. The manufacturers of oleomargarine are 

 few in number but represent powerful and rich corporations. They 

 are fully organized and have immense sums of money at their dis- 

 posal for the purpose of presenting their claims to Congress. The 

 dairymen of the country, on the other hand, while several millions 

 in number, are but little organized and their influence cannot be 

 quickly and easily made effective. It therefore becomes' necessary 

 for every friend of the dairy industry to be active in the support 

 of those who devote their energies to dealing with the oleomarga- 

 rine question. The National Dairy Union, which secured the pass- 

 age of the present law. is now as heretofore officered by men whose 

 every purpose is unselfish and who may be depended upon to look 

 after the interests of the dairymen in Congress, provided only they 



