OLEOMAEGAEINE. 21 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. If agreeable to the committee, we will con- 

 tinue the hearing to-morrow. 



Senator FOSTER. Certainly. 



Senator ALLEN. Let us meet at 9 o'clock in the morning. 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. You have only about ten minutes left, and I 

 will ask you a question. Can you inform the committee as to the 

 average price of the manufacture of oleomargarine the cost of pro- 

 duction ? 



Mr. GARDNER. I should say about 12 cents from 12 to 13 cents 

 but my client can answer that question better than I. 



Mr. MATHEWSON. The selling price of our goods runs from 12-J- to 

 13^ packed in tub, and the average profit will average less than a cent 

 a pound barely half a cent a pound from the day we commenced manu- 

 facturing up to the present time. To substantiate that statement our 

 books are open for the inspection of any member of this committee, 

 or the members of a subcommittee of this committee. 



Mr. GARDNER. That is what I understood. 



Senator FOSTER. Is there any residuum ? Have you anything else 

 except oleo left? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. The only residuum you can speak of are some by- 

 products which come from the rerendering of the scrap of leaf lard 

 and the refining of a certain amount of grease which goes out on the 

 floor, which passes off into soap grease. 



Senator BATE. What ingredients are put into oleomargarine before 

 you sell it? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. The ingredients that go to make up oleomargarine 

 are oleo oil, neutral lard, lard made from the leaf, and nothing but the 

 leaf. 



Mr. GARDNER. You buy the leaf ? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. We buy the leaf and make the lard ourselves. It 

 is made from absolutely pure leaf. 



Senator BATE. What are the proportions? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. Cotton -seed oil, cream, milk, salt, and coloring. 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. What is the proportion of cream and milk? 



Senator FOSTER. Is there a secret in your formula? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. Oh, no; there is no secret about it. There is 

 absolutely no secret as far as the making of oleomargarine is concerned. 

 The three ingredients of oleo oil, lard, and cotton-seed oil make 

 from 75 to 80 per cent of the whole. 



Senator BATE. Of equal proportions ? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. The proportions vary according to the seasons of 

 the year and according to the climate. 



Senator BATE. Of those three articles? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. Of those three articles. The other 20 per cent 

 is made up of cream, milk, salt, coloring, and the natural gain which 

 comes from the churning of the article, the same as in butter. 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. There is not enough milk and cream in it, 

 however, to give it a butter color ? 



Mr. MATHEWSON. Under this bill we should be absolutely unable to 

 use any butter, because all butter is colored, and we would be indicted 

 for using butter. 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. I understood Mr. Gardner to say that but- 

 ter was universally white when first manufactured. 



Senator BATE. In winter. 



