OLEOMARGAKINE. G8 7 



facturers are able to live prosperously, as they seem to be doing, under 

 a tax of 2 cents per pound, will tliey not prosper under a tax of one- 

 quarter of a cent? 



Mr. McCoy. They should, if the article were as palatable in its light 

 color. As we all know, it is naturally white. 



Representative LAMB. Does the fact of its being colored make it more 

 palatable? 



Mr. McCoY. It would very much to me, sir; I suppose it would to 

 other people. 



Representative LAMB. Is it not a fact that when it is colored, it is a 

 fraud upon butter, an imitation of butter? 



Mr. McCoY. I do not know that it would be, if it is sold under its 

 name. Probably ten, twelve, or fifteen years ago the public might have 

 been imposed on in that way; but I do not suppose in this day there is 

 a person in the country of even ordinary intelligence who does not 

 understand that it is made; and it is not sold as butter. 



Eepresentative LAMB. But is it not a fact that the same article, out 

 of the same vessel, is being sold both as oleomargarine and as butter, 

 now, in all of the commercial centers of this country? Is not this 

 identical article sold both as oleomargarine and as butter, accord- 

 ing to the request made by the consumer of the merchant? 



Mr. McCoY. 1 do not know, sir; I am not posted on that subject. 



Eepresentative LAMB. Those facts seem to have been brought out 

 here, and I know from my personal knowledge that they do exist. I 

 simply asked those questions to see how the current trend of thought 

 upon that subject is. I am only an inquirer myself. That is all I 

 wanted to ask. 



The CHAIRMAN. You said, Mr. McCoy, that it is possible to place a 

 diseased carcass on the market. Is it possible for a diseased carcass 

 to pass into the hands of those who use the fat for oleo oil? 



Mr. McCoY. Not from a killing establishment. Of course, Mr. Chair- 

 man, some man in the country districts of Illinois, at some place, might 

 kill his own steer, and, under cover of night, slip in and sell it to some 

 oleomargarine factory in the city of Chicago; and it might slip through 

 in that way. Of course, it is possible for that to occur. 



The CHAIRMAN. Is it possible to work in a diseased carcass in the 

 institutions where the great bulk of the slaughtering is done in this 

 country? 



Mr. McCoY. JSTo, sir. If it is done, it would have to be done through 

 the negligence and carelessness or the corruption of a Government 

 official. 



Eepresentative STOKES. But in case such a carcass should get into 

 the possession of the oleo maker,as I understand the matter, the product 

 is subjected to a very high temperature during manufacture? 



Mr. McCoY. That is my understanding, sir. From what I have 

 seen of the factories, I think it is put to a very high boiling point. 



Eepresentative DAHLB. Mr. McCoy, do you make any allowance for 

 the amount of oleo oil that is exported, or may be exported, in calcu- 

 lating, as you do, the loss to the farmer in case this bill should be 

 passed? As I understand, only a small part of the oleo oil which is 

 made in this country is used here, and the larger amount is exported. 

 I can not see where you make such an allowance. Do you? 



Mr. McCoY. No, sir. 



Eepresentative DAHLE. Would it not be fair to make such an allow- 

 ance, knowing, as we do, that by far the larger part is exported? Is not 

 that the case? 



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