OLEOMAKGAKIKE 415 



The increase in the manufacture and sale of oleomargarine in this 

 country during the past twenty years has been very rapid. The latest 

 reports show a total production of 83,000,000 pounds, and as only about 

 3,000,000 pounds are exported, the domestic consumption is in excess 

 of 1 pound per capita, as against an estimated consumption of 1S 

 pounds of butter. These figures are in marked contrast with those of 

 some foreign countries. For example, the per capita consumption per 

 annum in Great Britain is supposed to be 3J pounds of oleomargarine, 

 and 15 pounds of butter, and in Denmark the consumption is 15J pounds 

 of oleomagarine and 20 pounds of butter. But while in these foreign 

 countries the element of substitution and fraud has been largely elimi- 

 nated, and margarine is generally bought and consumed knowingly 

 and under its right name, it is understood that in this country a very 

 large part of the oleomargarine used is believed by the consumers to 

 be genuine butter. This deception is made possible by the custom of 

 coloring the substitute in imitation of yellow butter. Without this col- 

 oring feature it would be impossible to deceive consumers to such an 

 extent. Hence, it is the purpose of this bill to so exercise the taxing 

 power of the Government as to render the counterfeit product unprofit- 

 able, and thus protect genuine butter and prevent existing fraud. 



While generally believed that nearly all the oleomargarine used in 

 the United States is artificially colored and that a very large part of 

 it is actually consumed under the belief that it is butter, statistics 

 upon these interesting points are not available. It appears, however, 

 from official reports that in States where numerous prosecutions have 

 been made under the so-called oleo laws the great majority of cases 

 have included proof of oleo sales as and for butter. In compliance 

 with a resolution of Congress the Secretary of the Treasury has fur- 

 nished a statement showing the quantity of oleomargarine shipped 

 into the respective States during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1899. 

 From this it appears that nearly four-fifths of the product went into 

 States which are known to have laws prohibiting the sale of the col- 

 ored article. If this oleomargarine was sold in compliance with the 

 State laws, it was not artificially colored, and hence the proposed dis- 

 criminating tax upon colored oleo could be no hardship upon the manu- 

 facture, so far as this large proportion of the trade is concerned. And 

 if this 78 per cent was sold without color, it seems reasonable to 

 assume that the consumers of the remaining 22 per cent (or the col- 

 ored part of it) could easily be educated to use the uncolored product. 

 But if the 78 per cent of the domestic trade was largely colored, it 

 was manifestly sold in direct violation of State laws, and this fact fur- 

 nishes sufficient" evidence of the need of further action to aid in the 

 enforcement of these salutary laws. 



Considering the provisions of the second section of the bill as a whole, 

 I do not see why it should be opposed by oleomargarine manufacturers 

 and merchants. If the higher tax upon the product when colored in 

 imitation of yellow butter serves, as it is hoped, to prevent deception 

 and fraud, that must be a satisfaction to all who believe in honesty in 

 production and trade, as well as among consumers. This discriminat- 

 ing tax may interfere for a time with the market for oleo by diminishing 

 the sales of the colored article. 



The dairy cow is the most valuable agent of the producer, and her 

 milk is one of nature's perfect rations. She gives profitable employ- 

 ment to all who care for her or her products. She gathers her food 

 from the fields without intervening help in summer, and turns cheap 

 forage into high selling products in winter. The grasses that grow for 



