374 OLEOMARGARINE. 



Now, we farmers look at iu this way: Our cream has a certain color, 

 a certain appearance. It is refrigerated and frozen, and we sell it as 

 ice cream: and as such it has a certain color. Many manufacturers go 

 on a little further and give it different colors. They give it a choco- 

 late color, they give it a pink color, and they give it various other 

 colors. That does not interfere with its use at all. We go on eating 

 ice cream just the same; in fact, we often have different colors on our 

 plate at one time. 



But these gentlemen come in from their oleomargarine factories, and 

 they say: " That is all right, but we can't sell our product in its 

 natural condition. We must have the same color for it that you have 

 for butter, in order to sell it." 



Well, that is true. They must have that color, or they can't sell it. 

 But if people will eat ice cream colored pink or given the color of choco- 

 late, what is the objection to their eating oleomargarine under those 

 same colors? Why is it that they have to come right in here and imi- 

 tate our product? 



That is all that we ask. 



Mr. McNAMEE. Will the gentleman yield to a question? 



Mr. DILLON. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McNAMEE. If the coloring of oleomargarine is so reprehensible, 

 why is it that so many farmers resort to that practice in making their 

 butter? 



Mr. DILLON. Coloring oleomargarine is reprehensible for the reason 

 that it imitates another product, and it tries to deceive the consumer 

 by making a product that is not butter appear as butter, and tries to 

 poke it down the throats and into the stomachs of people who do not 

 want it and who would not have it if they knew what it was. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. But this bill does not prevent the coloring of oleo 

 margarine. 



Mr. DILLON. No; it does not prevent you from coloring it. 



Mr. McNAMEE. Then it is not wrong to color it, is it ? 



Mr. DILLON. It is not wrong to color what? 



Mr. McNAMEE. Oleomargarine. The bill does not say that it is wrong. 



Mr. DILLON. It does not make any difference to me what the bill 

 says. To my mind it is wrong to imitate butter fn the manufacture of 

 oleomargarine. That is, it is always wrong to take one article and try 

 to sell it on the reputation of another. 



Mr. McNAMEE. Then what do the farmers endeavor to imitate when 

 they color butter? 



Mr. DILLON. They do not endeavor to imitate anything. They do 

 not imitate anything. Now, let me ask you a question. I am a sort of 

 a Yankee; and we have a way of answering questions sometimes by 

 asking them. Did you ever know a man to be deceived in buying 

 butter? 



Mr. McNAMEE. Did I ever know a man to buy butter and be deceived 

 in it? 



Mr. DILLON. Yes; did you ever know a man to be deceived when he 

 bought butter? 



Mr. McNAMEE. In what way? 



Mr. JELKE. I think it has been stated here that he sometimes got 

 oleomargarine. 



Mr. DILLON. That is all right, now. Did you ever know a man to 

 be deceived in buying butter by the color of that butter? 



Mr. McNAMEE. I have often known men to buy butter for good but- 

 ter, and after it had been in the house two or three hours they could 

 not use it. I have had that kind of experience myself. 



