624 OLEOMARGARINE. 



so far as any protection the interstate-commerce laws may afford are 

 being backed up in their defiance of the laws by the manufacturers, 

 who can simply afford to spend more money in defense than the State 

 can afford for prosecution. 



IS OLEOMARGARINE THE "POOR MAN'S BUTTER?" 



Following, Swift & Co. have something interesting to say about 

 prices : 



Ninth. The various grades of oleomargarine manufactured range in price, on an 

 average, from 10 cents per pound for the cheapest grade to 15 cents per pound for 

 the highest grade. The average price of the cheapest grade of oleomargarine for the 

 year ending December 31, 1899, was exactly lOf cents per pound. This is the price 

 charged by both manufacturers and jobbers to the retail dealer, the price to the job- 

 ber being one-half cent per pound less than to the retailer. From this i fc will be seen 

 that a tax of 10 cents per pound would equal the price obtained for the product and 

 would completely destroy a business which has been recognized by law, which fur- 

 nishes a large annual revenue to the Government, which provides employment for 

 large numbers of men, and in which citizens of the United States have invested 

 their fortunes and their energies, for it is a fact which must be apparent to all who 

 will reflect that the tax proposed by these bills is prohibitive and therefore 

 destructive. Congress is now asked to destroy that which it has heretofore recog- 

 nized as lawful, and from which it has derived large revenues each year. 



The foregoing is also a subject upon which we may be able to offer 

 some information. Swift & Co. say it could not stand a tax of 10 cents 

 per pound and live. 



At what price does oleomargarine sell at retail! Here is the test. 

 The manufacturer makes a good, liberal profit, but the retailer is the 

 man who is compelled to do the disreputable work of disposing of it for 

 butter, and he demands extraordinary margins for so doing, which is 

 quite natural. Let us see what arguments besides the guarantees of 

 protection are advanced to induce the retailer to violate the laws of his 

 State and face the possibility of indictment and trial in court. 



One of the most interesting exhibits in this line is a circular letter 

 issued by the Capital City Dairy Company of Columbus, Ohio, Decem- 

 ber 1, 1899. It follows: 



[The Capital City Dairy Company, makers of butterine, highest quality only, No. 185 to 197 Third 



avenue east 



COLUMBUS, OHIO, December 1, 1899. 



DEAR SIR: With the appended change in price list we can only reiterate that our 

 " Purity " grade is equal if not superior to most makes creamery butterine, therefore, 

 "Purity" selling at 20 cents, "Buckeye" or " Pride " should sell at 25 to 30 cents. 

 If you want a popular priced grade our "Silver Leaf" is particularly appropriate. 

 Ever remember this indisputable fact : You can obtain for our butterine a better 

 retail price than for any other make in the United States. 



Purity, 14 cents per pound. 



Silver Leaf, 15 cents per pound. 



Buckeye, 17 cents per pound. 



C. C. Pride, 18 cents per pound. 



Prices subject to change without notice. 



Goods billed at price in effect on day of shipment. 



F. O. B. Columbus, Ohio, net cash. 



DIFFERENTIALS. 



One-half cent advance for solids under 25 pounds, and rolls or prints 2 pounds and 

 over. 



One cent for rolls and prints 1 pound and less than 2 pounds; also small tubs in 

 crates and boxes ; also unsalted butterine. 



One and one-half cents for rolls or prints of one-half pound and less than 1 pound. 

 Two cents for rolls and prints under 8 ounces. 



Mixed, catch, or country rolls figured at prices of smallest roll or print in package* 

 Very truly, yours, 



THE CAPITAL CITY DAIRY CQ.^ 

 (*42) 



