690 OLEOMAKGARINE. 



The gentlemen seem to assume that the country merchant, the local 

 merchant, the local groceryinan, who sells this butter or butterine to 

 the consumer, is the mouthpiece of the consumer that their interests 

 are identical. 



Representative LAMB. To a certain extent. 



Representative STOKES. It seems to me that in the general concep- 

 tion, they are considered to be diametrically opposed that is, that the 

 seller and buyer are usually on opposite sides of the proposition. 



Representative LAMB. Yes. Well, I mean by that that the most nat- 

 ural thing in the world would be for the seller of that butter to respond 

 quickly to the demands of his customer. If his customer preferred this 

 manufactured article to genuine butter, he would say to him, "We pre- 

 fer this oleomargarine, and we will buy it." The fact of the business is 

 that it is not so. 



Representative BAILEY. Let me give a little personal experience 

 on that subject. I have spent parts of two days in this market here. 

 I have made two trips down through it for the purpose of getting infor- 

 mation on that very point. I went down there absolutely incognito ; 

 and I tried my best to buy oleomargarine for butter. I went to this place 

 and to that, and did my best to do it, without their knowing a thing 

 about 



Representative LAMB. What did you ask for ? 



Representative BAILEY. I asked for butter. I would say, "What 

 do you sell your best creamery butter for?" "Thirty-five and 40 

 cents." "What have you got some other grade for?" They would say 

 that they had a cheaper grade down to 28 cents ; and I think the lowest 

 butter I saw or had priced to me was 25 cents. When it got below 

 that, it was oleomargarine or butterine every time. 



Now, I was unable in that market to buy a single pound of it; and 

 I could not get a single man to admit to me down there that it was 

 sold not a single man. Now, I want you to go down there, Mr. Lamb. 

 I will tell you what I will do. I will bet you a $5 bill that, if you 

 choose to try it, you can not get one of those men to sell oleomargarine 

 to you for butter. 



Representative LAMB. Do you know the reason? 



Representative BAILEY. I do not know ; I suppose the reason is that 

 it is a violation of law. That is the reason they gave me, that it is a 

 violation of law, and that the law was enforced. 



Representative LAMB. I understand that the law is not enforced. 



Representative BAILEY. Does not that settle the whole thing? 



Representative ALLEN. Will not the enforcement of law remedy the 

 whole thing? 



Representative LAMB. Is not this law trying to supplement the State 

 acts in doing that very thing? There is not a better law in the 32 States 

 than Virginia has got on her statute books in regard to this matter, but 

 it seems to be utterly impossible to enforce it for some reason or other. 



Representative ALLEN. Because it is against public sentiment. The 

 consumers do not want it enforced. That is the reason. 



Representative LAMB. Well, I do not think it is against public senti- 

 ment in my State. I can not tell the public sentiment everywhere, of 

 course. 



Representative BAILEY. You know, personally, that that is the case 

 in your section, do you? 



Representative LAMB. Oh, yes. 



Representative DAHLE. I notice that the gentleman had something 

 to say regarding the value of milk made into butter, or of the value of 



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