834 OLEOMARGARINE. 



pany, oleomargarine makers, admits, we think, that oleomargarine 

 must sail under butter's colors, no matter what they are, in the fol- 

 lowing (p. 4:4:)'. 



Mr. GARDNER. I say that as long as there is in the market something which people 

 want and which they have been accustomed to use you can not sell them something 

 which they do not want and which they are not accustomed to use. Do not mis- 

 understand me, please. If all butter was left uncolored and if all oleomargarine 

 was left uncolored, of course both oleomargarine and butter would sell, and they 

 would sell upon the same plane. People would still have something to put on their 

 bread, although they could not get what they wanted. 



The following colloquy and statement from pages 204 and 205 will, 

 we believe, throw considerable light upon the subject: 



Senator DOLLIVER. Have you discussed the reason why the product is colored? 

 Why do they not put it on the market in its natural condition? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. That has been discussed by others who preceded me, and very 

 thoroughly, too. 



Senator DOLLIVER. If it is in the record, that is all that is necessary. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. I will say that it is simply conformable to the law of custom and 

 taste, one of the strongest laws to run up against. 



Senator DOLLIVER. Do you think anybody would buy it if it was light or white 

 colored? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes, sir; I think it would be sold in very limited quantities. 



Senator DOLLIVER. I understood from some of your people that they thought if 

 they were compelled to color it white it would destroy the market. They have 

 written to me to that effect. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes, sir; there is no doubt about that. It would entirely destroy 

 the industry as an industry. An industry putting out 107,000,000 pounds a year 

 would be practically totally destroyed, because nobody would buy white oleomarga- 

 rine to put upon their table. 



Senator DOLLIVER. Is that mere prejudice and custom? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Solely that and nothing more, sir. 



Senator DOLLIVER. It seems to me you might overcome that prejudice? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. You could not overcome it so long as butter is colored. So long 

 as butter is put upon the table yellow, in my judgment, it would be impossible to 

 sell white oleo as against colored butter. You can sell white oleo against white 

 butter. 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. Would it destroy the butter business if butter were not 

 colored? 



Senator DOLLIVER. The great hotels, I notice, are serving white butter. Have you 

 noticed that? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes, sir. 



Senator DOLLIVER. Without even salt in it? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes, sir. I know that is true in some cases. 



Senator DOLLIVER. I noticed that in a hotel in New York the other day. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes; that is true, I think, at the Waldorf. 



Senator DOLLIVER. They do that, perhaps, in order to guarantee their good faith. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. In response to your question, Mr. Chairman, I am of the opinion 

 that people would eat butter, that they could not get along without the use of butter, 

 and that if all butter was white there would be the same quantity of butter used as 

 is used to-day. 



Senator HEITFELD. Then you think if all butter was uncolored you could let your 

 oleo go uncolored? 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Why; certainly. 



Senator HEITFELD. I would suggest a compromise with the dairyman throw away 

 all the color. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. Yes, sir; if they will do that. I noticed the gentlemen on the 

 other side laugh when I said that if all butter was white we could sell oleomargarine 

 white. 



Senator HEITFELD. Oh, well, you had your laugh yesterday. 



Mr. TILLINGHAST. I am going to have it again. I said that if all butter was white 

 we could sell oleo white; and that is true. I will tell you why it is true. I am here 

 to confess and to state that oleomargarine, notwithstanding it is a distinct product 

 known to science, is a product that is used by people who use it for butter knowing 

 that it is oleomargarine, and using the substitute instead of the real article. They 

 use it because it is a substitute. You may use the word "imitation" if you please, 

 and I will agree with you. It is an imitation of butter; and being an imitation it is 



