362 OLEOMABGAlil^E 



Here is something from the Painters and Decorators of Cleveland, 

 Ohio. It speaks in very plain language. This is in the form of a letter 

 signed by Mr. Peter Hassenpflue, 442 Erie street, Cleveland, president 

 of said union. 



I have been instructed by our union, containing over 400 members, to write and 

 inform you that we are unanimously and bitterly opposed to the bills now pending 

 in Congress providing for the persecution of the butterine industry. As you doubt- 

 less know, there are laws now that are being carefully enforced and lived up to that 

 make it impossible for butterine to be manufactured and sold for anything else but 

 butteriue, and it is the unanimous opinion of our members that butterine made 

 according to these laws is better for all uses than three-fourths of the butter that 

 can be bought. It won't get strong, and it don't come from feverish cows that are 

 full of disease germs, and butter frequently does. 



, gentlemen, it may seem to you that this language indicates a 

 familiarity with such matters on the part of these workingmen that is 

 not consistent with their usual occupation, or with the very limited 

 time they have to devote to the consideration or study of matters of 

 this kind. But I assure you that they are familiar with all these 

 points; that they are discussed continually, pro and con, in their 

 unions ; that they are giving deep and continual attention to this whole 

 matter, and that the more this question is discussed in the labor 

 unions the more and more do they become aware of the advantages of 

 using oleomargarine in preference to butter. These points are all con- 

 sidered the points about the feverish cows, the spread of disease, the 

 destruction of disease germs by the process by which oleomargarine is 

 manufactured, etc. All of these things come up for discussion, and 

 organized labor is generally familiar with them. Unorganized labor 

 may not be as familiar with them, and may depend altogether for their 

 information on the subject upon what may appear in the daily news- 

 papers. But, as I said before, its protest will come, as protests always 

 come from men who are not organized, after the damage has been done, 

 after the injury has been inflicted. 



Here is what these men say, and they say it in very plain language: 



We feel this way that if butterine is wrong, or poison, or liable to injure public 

 health, then do away with it altogether; but if it is not (and years of experience in 

 using it have taught us it is not) then why persecute the industry and keep passing 

 laws against it? Our belief is that this is kept up just for political reasons, and 

 that some people in Congress that tire sworn to protect the rights and interests of 

 all the people are willing to increase our already too high cost of living and add to 

 our taxes just to catch the farmer vote and increase the business of the butter trust 

 or trusts (and if butterine is killed they will soon be in one), and make them a pres- 

 ent of the butter market so they can either rob the people or make them go without 

 butter. It is the rankest kind of injustice to kill one industry that is right and 

 legitimate in order to accommodate another. We want butterine; we know what 

 it is; we would rather have it than butter, and it is an outrage, in order to gratify 

 the people who make butter, that we should have to go without it and pay two 

 prices for butter which we are compelled by law to eat, and which, nine cases out of 

 ten, is not fit for human use. It is getting to be pretty serious when the Congress 

 of the United States is asked to go into the business of booming certain interests, 

 and for their accommodation driving their competitors out of existence, simply 

 because they are competitors, and for no other reason on earth. A great deal is 

 being said about butterine being a certain color. Now, the only reason that a kick 

 is made on that color is because it helps to sell that commodity. If the butterine 

 makers were to use red or black or blue, these patriotic statesmen, and others so 

 solicitous for the people's protection, would raise no objection, because that would 

 make the same point that they want to make by law, and that is to hurt its sale 

 and thereby tickle the farmers and advance the interests of the creamery trusts. 

 The ingredient used in butterine which gives it its color has been proven by official 

 chemical analysis to be a natural and healthful product. As there is no reason to 

 kill butterine but because it hurts another business, then why not do away with 

 these hose painting machines because they hurt our business? 



These are painters, gentlemen. The hose painting machines displace 

 a great many painters, and deprive a great number of the men who wield 



