ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 6l 



their boarders that the tasteless, therefore innocent looking mix- 

 ture, called butter, costs them a few cents per pound less than 

 the pure article would cost and that they are defrauding their 

 customers to that extent. 



Having gone into partnership with the bogus butter makers, 

 on the regulation plan of license, the rich philanthropists of the 

 great cities have been encouraged to try their skill on the lard so 

 that a very little fat of swine goes a great way toward greasing 

 the pastry products of the world; and the time is near at hand 

 when the question of commercial lards for domestic purposes 

 will be settled. The mysteries of stock yard operations are 

 gradually being revealed to consumers and the prejudice against 

 the beautifully white oleo for pie crust is increasing. In the face 

 of all this, the selfishness ot the beef and pork producers en- 

 courages them to believe that the adulterations of butter will 

 make their business more profitable, which is a mistaken idea. 

 If any one branch of agriculture suffers, by reason of unfair 

 competition, all alike suffer. 



In agricultural resources, ours is a marvelous country. Con- 

 fine the productive capacity of our vast land area to a single 

 product, and there would be a ruinous glut in the markets of the 

 entire world as far as they could be reached, but let the economic 

 law of a diversity of crops prevail, and an active prosperity will 

 take the place of stagnation in business. 



There are mighty forces in this nation, directly at work 

 against the farmers, in the form of organized capital. Is it not 

 imperative that the productive classes stand together for self- 

 protection and mutual interest? Those engaged in any one 

 branch of agriculture should be interested in the success of all 

 the others. 



The first duty the producers of this country owe to them- 

 selves is to abolish the bogus butter fraud and every other fraud 

 upon honest production, in the form of food adulteration, by 

 strict prohibitory laws. The reason for such legislation is obvi- 

 ous. The competition is an unfair one and should not be per- 

 mitted. The health of consumers is endangered. The commer- 



