OLEOMARGARINE. 745 



Cattle raising was its first attempt; then came feeding and fattening for market. 

 Hog raising became a great factor at once, and sheep raising and sheep feeding rap- 

 idly followed. So that Nebraska is preeminently a stock State. I am amazed that 

 there should be anyone who may be interested in House roll No. 6 indulging the 

 hope that a single member of the Nebraska delegation will support it. The loss to 

 the Nebraska live-stock interest would be severe by its passage. 



We had in 1898 in the State 716,017 cattle, 2,339,086 hogs, 1,193,250 head of sheep. 

 The loss on sheep and swine if this bill becomes a law will be $1 per head, or a total 

 loss in these two classes of stock of $3,532,336. The loss on cattle will be from $3 to 

 $5 per head ; at a minimum of $3 per head the loss to cattle in this State would equal 

 $2,148,051, or a total loss on cattle, hogs, and sheep, in Nebraska of $5,680,387. The 

 loss on this same basis in the nation holds a ratio even greater than in Nebraska. 

 In 1897 there were in the United States 15,941,727 head of milch cows, of other cattle 

 there were 30.508,408, of sheep there were 36,818,643, of swine there were 40,600,276, 

 which by the passage of this bill would represent a lost value of the enormous sum 

 of $168,944,141 on these three classes of live stock. This great loss to be consum- 

 mated by the passage of this bill for what purpose? Simply to enhance the price of 

 butter, the product of 15,941,727 milch cows. 



We understand, of course, the plea for the bill is pure butter. A certain per cent 

 of pure butter will be made, but a large per cent, as is the custom now with cream- 

 eries, will be old refuse gathered up in the stores, reeking with tilth, washed in the 

 fresh buttermilk of the creamery, worked over and labeled second creamery, and of 

 course will be sold as pure and at a price beyond the reach of thousands of poor 

 people in our large cities who are glad to get pure, wholesome batterine at a price 

 within their means. The passage of this bill means the poor eating no butter. 



Gentlemen, for these reasons I urge you all as Nebraskans to oppose this bill. 

 Very truly, yours, 



MATT. DADGHERTY. 



Here is another one, signed by Col. F. M. Woods, and another by 

 George Harvey, and another by A. M. Treat, of Chappell, Nebr. Some 

 of these letters, the last two, for instance, are from Mr. Neville's district. 



Mr. NEVILLE. Matt. Daugherty is from my district. 



Mr. HAKE. Yes; Chappell is in your district. 



Mr. NEVILLE. Yes; Delatour is from my district, and Tierney. He 

 is at Ansley. 



Mr. HAKE. Yes, sir. 



The CHAIRMAN. Are there any gentlemen of the committee who 

 desire to ask Mr. Hake any questions? 



Mr. DAHLE. When you were saying or figuring that oleomargarine 

 costs about half what butter costs you advanced that idea? 



Mr. HAKE. Yes, sir. 



Mr. DAHLE. At what prices do you figure the two, respectively? 



Mr. HAKE. Fifteen to thirty cents. Fifteen to thirty cents for cream- 

 ery. It costs 25 to 30 cents with us, but that is in our country, you 

 understand. I presume it might not cost as much in other places. It 

 costs from 15 to 25 cents, and we rarely buy it for less than 25 ceuts, 

 and sometimes pay 30. 



Mr. CHEEK. Creamery has been as high as 32 cents. 



Mr. DAHLE. You figure creamery from 22 to 35 cents? 



Mr. HAKE. Twenty- two to thirty cents. 



Mr. DAHLE. And oleomargarine? 



Mr. HAKE. It has been 13 to 15 cents. 



Mr. DAHLE. 1 can only say that that is away too high. 



Mr. HAKE. How? 



Mr. DAHLE. Butter in the summer is worth with us 16 cents, that is 

 creamery butter. 



Mr. HAKE. I have never bought it that way. 



Mr. DAHLE. Well, I have sold lots of it that way. 



The CHAIRMAN. That would be argument, Mr. Dahle. 



Mr. DAHLE. Yes, I know; but I am sorry that we get into our records 

 things that look away off. I would like to correct them. 



(*163) 



