474 OLEOMARGARINE. 



office who was a relative, bu I do not recall his name. T just met him 

 that day. It was their personal experience. I do not know from whom 

 that emanates, or whether it is anybody in authority or anything of that 

 kind. 



Mr. KNIGHT. I believe you told me that if they found me with a let- 

 ter signed with their name on it, I would be held responsible. Was it 

 not you who told me that on the House side? It was somebody. 



Here is another letter : 



[Chas. Heidrich & Co., commission merchants, butter, eggs, poultry, calves, game, green and dried 



fruits, etc., 33 Walnut street.] 



CINCINNATI, January 7, 1901. 

 CHARLES Y. KNIGHT, Esq., Washington, D. C. 



DEAR SIR: As the Grout bill is before the Senate, and as we are anxious for the 

 bill to pass, we take pleasure in writing you a few lines. 



This butterine is sold here by retailers, grocers, market hucksters, and everybody 

 .else, and is panned off to the trade for butter. The wholesalers here have told us 

 that they charge one-half cent a pound advance, and lay that money aside to fight 

 the food inspectors. Every time a man is arrested, and that from 5 to 20 a week 

 are arrested for panning off butterine for butter, these wholesale men protect them. 

 They come up and pay the fine and the retailer sells it again. 



Now we hope that this bill will pass and this evil will be stopped. We shall write 

 to one or two Senators also. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



CHAS. HEIDRICH & Co. 



This one is from the firm of Herman Westerman : 



[Herman Westerman, general commission merchant, 120 West Court street.] 



CINCINNATI, OHIO, January 7, 1901. 

 Mr. CHARLES Y. KNIGHT, Washington, D. C. 



DEAR SIR : In reply to your inquiry addressed to a neighbor of mine, I am informed 

 that the " Grout bill " is to be taken'up Wednesday by the Senate. The butter busi- 

 ness is almost at a standstill in Cincinnati, owing to a fight on between the dealers 

 of oleomargarine. I am informed that some is being sold to retailers at 10 and 13 

 cents per pound ; you can see why butter is not selling. 



If I am informed rightly, you want to know if oleo is being sold for butter. It is 

 not sold for butter by the wholesale dealers, but the deception practiced by the 

 retailers is where the mischief is done. Every now and then a raid is made on these 

 dealers. They are arrested, fined $50 and costs, which is paid by the wholesaler who 

 furnishes, and in turn he charges one-half cent extra on the oleo for this protection. 



I regret that I did not hear from you personally, but trust you will be as success- 

 ful in passing the "Grout bill" by the Senate as you did the House. 



Wishing you every success, I am, 



Yours, very respectfully, HERMAN WESTERMAN. 



Here is a letter from Charles H. Hess & Co., of Cincinnati : 



immission merchants, also dealei 

 b street.] 



CINCINNATI, OHIO, January 7 190" 



[Office of Chaa. H. Hess & Co., general produce and commission merchants, also dealers in cheese. 



No. 24 West Court street.] 



CHARLES Y. KNIGHT, 



National Hotel, Washington, D. C. 



DEAR SIR: I learn from some of the members of the produce exchange of our city 

 that a committee of oleomargarine men have reported in Washington that oleomar- 

 garine is sold as oleomargarine only in our city, which is false in its entirety. I 

 know positively that there is sold daily thousands of pounds of oleomargarine for 

 pure butter. And that the food and dairy commissioners are either powerless or 

 are indisposed to antagonize. 



While there are some arrests being made, it seems to be on account of local petit 

 jealousies among dealers, and not touching on the main offense. The oleomargarine 

 dealers have a corruption fund with which they encourage the retail dealers to sell 

 oleomargarine for butter. 



In conclusion, will say that you certainly deserve the praise of all honorable deal- 

 ers in pure food for the progress you are making. 

 Very respectfully, 



CHAS. H. HESS & Co. 



