OLEOMARGARINE. 593 



ground that corn meal is a healthful article of foodf What would be 

 said of the defense of a butcher who sold horse meat as beefsteak to 

 his customer and set up the plea that the horse flesh was as " nutritious 

 and healthful as beefsteak?" 



CONGRESS OUR LAST RESORT. 



We have not appealed to Congress for aid along the line of discour- 

 aging the sale of oleomargarine made in semblance of butter until the 

 matter of accomplishing the same result through State legislation 

 has been thoroughly tested and proven a failure. And this fact we 

 believe to be our strongest argument in favor of Congressional action. 



The various States have tried all kinds of legislation. The attempt 

 to control the actions of the retailer with a counterfeit article in his 

 hands has been abandoned by practically every one of the leading States. 

 To day thirty-two States, with four-fifths (50,117,440) of the population, 

 according to the census of 1890, have passed laws absolutely prohibiting 

 the sale of oleomargarine made in imitation of butter. This issue has 

 been fought out in the legislatures of these various States, and these 

 measures have received the stamp of approval of their law-making 

 bodies and the indorsement of their governors. 



The following compilation of the substance of the dairy laws of the 

 United States was published by the Agricultural Department under 

 the seal of Secretary Wilson a'year ago, and copies of the laws in full 

 may be had from the Secretary of Agriculture: 



ALABAMA ANTICOLOR LAW. 

 (Approved February 18, 1895.) 



No article which is in imitation of pure yellow butter, and is not made wholly 

 from pure milk and cream, shall be manufactured, sold, or used in any public eating 

 place, hospital, or penal institution, etc. ; but oleomargarine, free from color or 

 other ingredient to cause it to look like butter, and made in such manner as will 

 advise the consumer of its real character, is permitted. It must be stamped with 

 its name. 



ARIZONA. 



No dairy laws. 



ARKANSAS MUST BE LABELED. 

 (Approved April 2, 1885.) 



Substitutes for butter, whether in wholesale or retail packages, shall be plainly 

 labeled "Adulterated butter," " Oleomargarine," or such other names as shall prop- 

 erly describe them. In hotels, etc., dishes containing said articles must be plainly 

 marked in same manner. 



CALIFORNIA ANTICOLOR LAW. 

 (Approved March 4, 1897.) 



Imitation butter and cheese is denned as any article not produced from pure milk 

 or cream, salt, rennet, and harmless coloring matter, which is in semblance of butter 

 or cheese and designed as a substitute for such. Shall not be colored to imitate 

 butter or cheese, ami must be in such form as will advise consumer of its real char- 

 acter. Every package must be plainly marked "Substitute for butter" or "Sub- 

 stitute for cheese" and accompanied by a statement giving name of manufacturer, 

 ingredients, etc., a copy of which must be given to each purchaser, with verbal 

 notice, at the time of sale, in connection with which words like ''creamery," "dairy," 

 etc., are prohibited. Patrons of eating places shall be notified if substitutes of 

 butter or cheese are used. Prohibited in State charitable institutions. 



'S. Rep. 204:3 38 (*ll) 



