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Fortieth Annual Report of the
Oleomargarine, when made in resemblance or imitation of yellow
butter, is a counterfeit article; and square dealing demands alike
for the consuming public and the producers of honest butter that the
law compels oleomargarine to look like itself and not like yellow
butter. We recognize that when oleomargarine is made to look like
itself and not like yellow butter, it may be a legitimate substitute for
butter; but when It Is made to masquerade in the color and garb of
yellow butter, it is a counterfeit. A counterfeit dollar it not tolerated
by law, and a counterfeit of yellow butter has no more right to the
tolerance of law than has a counterfeit dollar. Counterfeit oleomar-
garine does not compete with genuine butter; it defrauds butter and
the would-be consumers thereof.
The present National Internal Revenue tax of ten cents a pound on
artificially colored oleomargarine is in effect a tax on a bogus, a counter-
feit, a fraudulent article. The tax of only one-fourth of a cent a pound
on uncolored oleomargarine, that is on the article which Congress by
that law intended to compel to look like itself and not like yellow
butter, Is barely sufflicient to meet the expense of enforcing the law
which enables the consumer to get what he pays for without being
cheated.
The claim that the National Revenue tax on oleomargarine raises
the price of butter, made by the author of one of the bills to repeal
the national oleomargarine law now pending in the House of Represen-
tatives, which claim is being sent broadcast in circular letters accom-
panied with an appeal for petitions to Congress for the removal of the
internal revenue tax on oleomargarine, is Inaccurate, specious and
misleading. The Wisconsin Dairymen's Association protests against
the repeal of the present oleomargarine law unless it shall be found
that Congress possesses the constitutional power and uses It, to pro-
hibit the manufacture, sale and shipment of oleomargarine which shall
be in resemblance or Imitation of yellow butter, made such either by
the use of a dye or by the selection of material. The Wisconsin Dairy-
men's Association protests against the repeal as is proposed in the
Burleson bill now pending In Congress, of that clause of the present
national oleomargarine law which provides that when oleomargarine
is Introduced into any state from any other state, It shall be subject
to the laws of that state the same as though It had been manufactured
in the state into which introduced.
Resolved, That the secretary of this association be and hereby Is
Instructed to send a copy of the foregoing resolution to each member
of Congress from this state, to the chairman of the committee on
agriculture of the House of Representatives and to the President of
United States.
On motion, duly seconded, the above resolutions were adopted.
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