748 OLEOMARGARINE. 



ordinary tallow and lard. I believe the passage of such a measure would be legis- 

 lating in the interest of a small minority and not in the interest of the masses. 

 Oleomargarine or butterine, being absolutely pure and wholesome, and furnished the 

 consumer at about half the price of creamery butter, is a very desirable commodity 

 for the laboring masses, and in fact all people of moderate means. 



As I have been and am still engaged in raising, buying, and shipping live stock on 

 foot, and as this measure would practically prohibit the manufacturing of a part of 

 the animal into a most valuable product, thereby reducing the price of killing stock, 

 I desire to enter my earnest protest against its passage, and would respectfully ask 

 your cooperation in endeavoring to defeat this measure. 



A. M. TREAT. 



STATEMENT OF MR. W, B. CHEEK, OF SOUTH OMAHA, NEBR. 



The CHAIRMAN. What is you occupation? 



Mr. CHEEK. I ain vice-president of the Live Stock Exchange at 

 South Omaha, Nebr. 



The CHAIRMAN. Do you desire to make any statement to the com- 

 mittee ? 



Mr. CHEEK. No; I have no argument on the subject aside from that 

 which has been made by Mr. Hake. 



The CHAIRMAN. Do you know anything about the retail sale of oleo- 

 margarine in your city? 



Mr. CHEEK. Yes, sir. 



The CHAIRMAN. Will you tell us how it is sold? Is it sold openly as 

 oleomargarine, or secretly? 



Mr. CHEEK. It is sold openly in the grocery stores and butcher 

 shops as oleomargarine. For instance, in my shop, where I buy my 

 meat, is a table, and on tbat table is butterine in boxes and tubs, and 

 stacked up outside of the boxes, and marked at all the way from 12J 

 cents to 18 J cents. I believe what they call prime butterine sells for 

 from 18J cents to 19 cents. 



The CHAIRMAN. What does the creamery butter sell for? 



Mr. CHEEK. I have never been able to buy it for less than 18 cents. 



The CHAIRMAN. Dp you know of any complaint from the consumers 

 of the oleomargarine in your district? 



Mr. CHEEK. No, sir ; I never heard of any. 



The CHAIRMAN. What class of people is it that consumes that oleo- 

 margarine? 



Mr. CHEEK. The laboring class principally men working in the stock 

 yards and packing houses, and general laborers. 



The CHAIRMAN. Have there been any claims of illegal sales? 



Mr. CHEEK. No, sir ; no complaint at all. 



The CHAIRMAN. I will ask you this question: Has there been any 

 decrease in the price of dairy cattle in your country? 



Mr. CHEEK. No, sir. 



The CHAIRMAN. Has there been any decrease in the price of the dairy 

 product of butter ? 



Mr. CHEEK. No, sir. 



The CHAIRMAN. Has there been any decrease in the value of your 

 dairy farm land? 



Mr. CHEEK. I should say not. It has been on the increase. 



The CHAIRMAN. It has increased? 



Mr. CHEEK. Yes. 



The CHAIRMAN. Then do you know of any reason why, in that 

 country, there should be any protection given to the dairy interests over 

 the oleomargine interests? 



Mr. CHEEK. I see no reason at all. There has always been an excess 

 ive demand for dairy products. 



(*166) 



