.46 OLEOMARGARINE AND BUTTERINE. 



ing year. These figures represent a total aggregate loss of 16,786,680 pounds in five years. 

 In 1879 we exported over 25,000,000 pounds and last year (1885) a little over 10,000,000 

 pounds. A moment's calculation will suffice to show that in another five years our creamery 

 export trade will be literally wiped out by bogus butter. The phenomenal growth of the 

 oleomargarine export trade is seen by a glance at the following figures : 



Pounds, Pounds. 



1880 20,000,000 



1881 26,300,000 



1882 22,000,000 



1883 23,400,000 



1884 39,322,841 



1885 37,882,155 



Here is an increase of 17,000,000 pounds of imitation butter sent to foreign markets, to 

 offset a decrease in the same period of 16,786,680 pounds of genuine butter ! It is not an easy 

 task to show the loss to the foreign trade of the country by the substitution of oleo ; but the 

 most reliable estimates place it at $6,000,000 per annum, taking 1885 as the basis, or .a little 

 over $25,000,000 since 1879, inclusive. This, it should be remembered, is altogether apart 

 from the home question, which deals with the loss to consumers in health and pocket and the 

 flagrant violation of law by the wholesalers and retailers of bogus butter. 



COMMISSIONER COLMAN'S WORK. 



W. Y. Star, January 20, 1886. 



A few days ago we made reference to a most important work to which the administration is 

 devoting a great deal of thought and effort. It is a work in which the whole people are con- 

 cerned, for it touches their daily lives and relates to their closest interests. The adulteration 

 of food in this country is attaining gigantic proportions. It is begining to affect almost every- 

 thing we eat and drink, to touch the sources of our vitality, to taint the blood of our children. 

 It menaces that dearest possession of humanity, health, and spreads over the land the blight 

 of its stealthy and terrible influence. 



The Department of Agriculture has taken up the matter in earnest. W^have already al- 

 luded to the enthusiasm with which Commissioner Colman is combating the abuse, and have 

 given some hints as to the methods whereby he proposes to promote the end he has in view. 

 He has enlisted in the good cause the official chemists of the different States, and those gentle- 

 men are now engaged in the preparation of reports that will set forth not only all the various 

 forms of food adulteration coming within their respective jurisdictions, but will, in addition, 

 present suggestions as to the most practicable way of arresting the evil. Further than this, 

 however, and possibly still more important, is the fact that Professor Wylie, the chief chemist 

 of the department, who is now returning from a business mission in Europe, will bring with 

 him full information as to the methods adopted in France, Germany, and other continental na- 

 tions, for the suppression of food adulteration. Those nations, France especially, have had 

 valuable experience in the direction mentioned, and, it is believed, have attained as nearly to 

 perfect efficiency as could be expected. Professor Wylie's report will be a most important 

 contribution to the work in which Commissioner Colman is engaged. 



It is not possible to overrate the magnitude of this enterprise. The people at large, the' 

 consumers, are being made the victims of a colossal, organized fraud. Those engaged in the 

 legitimate business of supply are being oppressed and injured by dishonest competitors. The 

 situation is deplorable from every point of view, and it should be a matter of pride to all Dem- 

 ocrats that the administration is found to be so prompt and earnest in the work of alleviating 

 its asperities. We are at the mercy or* adulterated milk, butter, cheese, sugar, molasses, and 

 a hundred other articles of daily consumption not excepting infants' food and from this ab- 

 horrent predicament the administration proposes to extricate us. We believe that Commis- 

 sioner Colman will be able to formulate a bill effectually covering the whole ground and point- 

 ing out a way by which food adulteration may be robbed of its most injurious features, if not 

 wholly and permanently suppressed. We do not doubt that Congress will, in the interests of 

 the public welfare, enact the law almost without a dissenting voice. 



THE BOGUS BUTTER BUSINESS. 



WHO FAVOR AND WHO OPPOSE IT A STRONG PRESENTATION OF THE CASE. 



N. Y. Times, January, 19, 1886. 



If the people of this State should be required to voio upon the question whether or not 

 merchants should be allowed to sell bogus butter for real butter, how many would be willing 

 to be counted on the affirmative side ? If they should be required to express by vote their 

 opinion as to the propriety of forbidding by law the manufacture of bogus butter, how many 

 would stand up and be counted on the side of the manufacturers ? We cannot assume that any 



