636 OLEOMARGARINE. 



Mr. LORIMER. Have you any statistics that show how much butter 

 has been sold in your city each year for the past ten years? 



Mr. KIMBALL. No, sir. There is no way of determining how much 

 has been sold each .year in the State. 



Mr. LORIMER. As a matter of fact, on what do you base that assertion ? 



Mr. KIMBALL. From my personal experience. Where men used to 

 buy 300 pounds, they do not to-day buy more than 100. 



Mr. LORIMER. How long have you been in business in Philadelphia? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Twenty- one years. 



Mr. LORIMER. Do you sell as much butter as you did ten years ago? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes, sir. 



Mr. LORIMER. Do you sell as much as you did five years ago? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes, sir. 



Mr. LORIMER. How about two years ago? 



Mr. KIMBALL. I do not think we sell quite as much as we did then. 

 We do not stand still if we can help it. 



Mr. LORIMER. I simply wanted to find out on what you base this 

 estimated decrease. 



Mr. KIMBALL. We have this from Mr. Edison, one of the largest 

 wholesale print-butter dealers in Philadelphia, and I think he will bear 

 me out in saying that the sales have decreased at least 50 per cent by 

 oleomargarine being sold as butter. 



Mr. LORIMER. I understand you are willing to have oleomargarine 

 shipped in and sold in its natural state? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes; I believe it is healthful. It is a good thing for 

 the poor man, but it should be sold on its merits. Where it is sold as 

 butter there is a profit of 15 cents a pound on it. 



Mr. LORIMER. Mr. Adams, who is secretary of the Pure Food Asso- 

 ciation of Wisconsin, made the statement here a week ago to-day that 

 the tax of 10 cents a pound was proposed to be put on colored oleo- 

 margarine in order that it may not be able to compete with butter, and 

 in that way would drive oleomargarine out of the market. Is that 

 sentiment general in your State, or is there any sentiment on the sub- 

 ject. 



Mr. KTMBALL. I do not think so. I think it will to a large extent 

 drive colored oleomargarine out of the market. I do not believe that 

 in one or two years it will have any effect for the reason that people 

 who want the cheap product will buy oleomargarine. Only colored 

 oleomargarine will be sold, and it can be gotten for a less price. 



Mr. WHITE. What difference do you have to pay between colored 

 and uncolored oleomargarine? 



Mr. KIMBALL. We do not handle it. 



Mr. WHITE. Only the fraudulent article is sold at all? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes, sir. 



Mr. DAHLE. What is good butter quoted at in Philadelphia to-day, 

 wholesale? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Twenty-seven cents. 



Mr. DAHLE. That is what you pay for it? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes, sir. 



Mr. DAHLE. How much do you pay for oleomargarine? 



Mr. KIMBALL. We do not handle it. The price of the oleomargarine 

 sold in Philadelphia is bought at 16 cents a pound. That is the popu- 

 lar brand. 



Mr. DAHLE. There is practically a difference of 11 cents a pound? 



Mr. KIMBALL. Yes, sir. 



