' OLEOMARGARINE. 83 1 



he will take one print or two prints out of the lining of his coat pocket, put it in the 

 order, and take it in the house. 



That is an illustration of how they sell oleomargarine for butter, gentlemen. 



Mr. MILLER. What do they do on hot days? 



Mr. KRACKE. This was not a hot day. [Laughter.] 



Mr. MILLER. How many pounds did this boy carry at once? 



Mr. KRACKE. He carried 28 pounds. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Now, do you mean to tell the committee that the person to 

 whom that oleomargarine was delivered was deceived in the purchase? 



Mr. KRACKE. Unquestionably. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Do you know that, or is it simply a question of opinion? 



Mr. KRACKE. I know it absolutely, because we went there and asked them, and 

 after that they testified to it. Moreover, they paid 28 cents a pound for it. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. In how many instances did you find that to be true? 



Mr. KRACKE. In every instance. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. How many were there? 



Mr. KRACKE. What do you mean? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Of how many cases of that kind have you any recollection? 



Mr. KRACKE. One thousand. [Laughter.] 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Do you mean prosecutions? 



Mr. KRACKE. One thousand prosecutions. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. What was the prosecution for selling oleomargarine for butter? 



Mr. KRACKE. Selling oleomargarine for butter. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Or was it for selling oleomargarine colored? 



Mr. KRACKE. Selling colored oleomargarine for butter. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. That was what the prosecution was for? 



Mr. KRACKE. That was what the prosecution was for, and there were 1,000 convic- 

 tions, too. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. In how long a time? 



Mr. KRACKE. In the last three or four years. Do you want me to go back further? 



And on page 450 the following statement from the Hon. S. C. Bas- 

 set, president state board of agriculture of Nebraska, who appeared 

 before this committee: 



In my own State very few measures before Congress have ever created the interest 

 among our farmers that this one does. 



We have been struggling for years to suppress the fraudulent sale of oleomargarine 

 as and for butter. By a large majority in the house and with but two dissenting 

 votes in the senate we passed in 1895 a law prohibiting the sale of imitation butter 

 colored yellow. 



This law is openly violated. Large quantities of oleomargarine of a yellow color 

 are sold, and I fully believe 90 per cent of the same is sold to the consumer as and 

 for butter. 



#*****# 



It ought not to be forgotten, but should be kept constantly in mind, that the 

 exceedingly large profits which dealers in oleomargarine receive is the reason why its 

 sale is so strenuously pushed. Those who divide the profits of this most profitable 

 business are comparatively few in number, and the retail dealers, wh^ are the princi- 

 pal violators of the law, receive the lion's share of the profit, considering the amount 

 handled. With us a retail dealer makes not to exceed an average of 2 cents per 

 pound on butter sold, while the retail dealer in oleomargarine makes a profit of 8 to 

 10 cents per pound. 



By State legislation we seem well-nigh powerless to control this fraud, and this is 

 why we come to the National Congress, believing that this is the only power which 

 can compel the sale of this product on its own merits and for what it is. 



When the Secretary of Agriculture, the Hon. James Wilson, 

 appeared before this committee, he was asked and answered a question 

 as follows: 



Mr. SCHELL. I would like to ask further, if you know from your own experience or 

 from the reports that have come to you of a single case where the consumer has ever 

 been prosecuted because of being defrauded by the dealer. 



Secretary WILSON. I can find plenty of such cases in this very city. * * * 

 There is no question about the everyday deception of us people who have to buy 

 butter. 



