OLEOMARGARINE AND BUTTERINE. 15 



"The batter production of the State of Wisconsin for 1884 was 38,000,000 pounds. This 

 would amount to 73,000 pounds a week. We have lately learned, upon what we deem relia- 

 ble authority, that a certain butter color manufacturer in the West has a standing order from a 

 single butterine factory in Chicago for three barrels of color a week. A barrel of color will color 

 75,000 pounds. This proves that the single factory referred to is making each week three times 

 as many pounds of buttedne as the State of Wisconsin produces of butter per week. We have 

 no doubt of the facts of the case. In addition let it be remembered that this is only one fac- 

 tory, while there are sixteen more in active operation in Chicago. Then remember that in all 

 the other cities of the Union the same iniquity is going on, and ask yourself, brother farmer, 

 if it is not about time to stir yourself and let your influence be felt. Haven't you sat in dumb 

 silence, like ' a sheep before her shearer,' about long enough ? Look at the capital you have 

 involved. The production of milk alone in the United States amounts annually to $900,- 

 000,000, and the milch cows saying nothing of the beef interest are valued at $700,000,000. 

 All the banking capital of the United States amounts to $656,000,000, or $44,000,000 less 

 than the capital invested in the dairy cows. 



"The silver production is only $40,000,000. Yet the farmers will sit down as quiet as 

 mice, while the silver men are hounding Congress day and night. The remedy is a simple 

 one. Write to your Congressman, and ask him to support the enactment of a law taxing the 

 counterfeit stuff, say fifteen cents a pound." 



" There is great elation among the oleomargarine men of Chicago," said a leading butter 

 merchant of that city, " over the decision of the State Board of Agriculture early in this 

 month, that oleomargarine and butterine, when cleanly and properly made, and properly 

 labeled and sold under their true names, are wholesome and cheap substitutes for butter, 

 and they frankly admitted that they had obtained a greater concession from that body than 

 they had ever hoped for. But while the manufacturers are elated, the legitimate dealers, who 

 see their business falling off day by day, are correspondingly depressed. One of these told 

 me the other day, that although he had contributed liberally to the fund raised to defray the 

 expenses of a vigorous campaign against it, he had about given up the fight. He declared 

 that although he did not want to do it, the time might come when he would be forced to han- 

 dle the sham butter or quit the trade altogether. The butterine men had the upper hand, he 

 said, and were making over 2,000 tubs a day, and before long would drive natural butter out 

 of the market. This is an utter despondent view to take of the position, and is not shared in, 

 I think, by the majority of the trade. That it is not the view taken by President H. B. 

 Curler, President of the Illinois State Dairymen's Association is evidenced by what he said 

 the other day : ' I expect Illinois will be the last State to get herself in line. The butterine 

 interest is heavy in Chicago, but we must do all we can. We shall win the battle if we per- 

 severe, for we have the people with us.' 



" There is a phase of the oleomargarine fight in Chicago that has not reached New York 

 yet, but as its cleverness is apparent, and as the manufacturers are extremely anxious to push 

 the sales of their product in that greatest of American markets, I have no doubt it will be 

 adopted there. The New York law requires that oleomargarine shall be sold for what it is, 

 and the plan adopted by certain Chicago dealers might be adopted with profit in the metropolis. 

 They show their customers samples of low grade, rancid dairy butter, offensive both to taste 

 and smell, side by side with the bright-colored product of the factory, and say : ' Here is the 

 dairy butter, and there is the artificial take your choice.' Naturally, the consumer takes the 

 counterfeit rather than the genuine article, and the shrewd dealer pockets a clean profit of 

 fifteen cents for every pound he sells. 



" One of the arguments used by the advocates of these bogus compounds is that their 

 manufacture has caused a marked advance in the price of prime dairy butter. That is so to a 

 certain extent, but do you know how the higher prices are maintained ? I can tell you. They 

 buy up the best brands themselves, and use them in infinitesimal doses for flavoring the stuff 

 they foist upon the public. Good butter, which not long ago sold for fifteen cents a pound is 



