Mr. Burrough. I would like to say to Senator McBride before he leaves, that we have here on the table among our exhibits some samples of genuine butter, and also some samples of oleomargarine, and we would be glad to have him examine and compare them. If he will communicate the fact to the other Senators we should be pleased to have them come in and examine it for themselves. I move that we extend to Mr. McBride a vote of thanks for his kindness in coming here and favoring us with the reading of his bill. Carried. Mr. Garrison.—I make a motion that this body recommend the passage of this bill-of the bill read to us by Senator McBride this morning. (This motion was subsequently withdrawn.) The Chair. I think you will all agree with me that this is a very important bill, and only a portion of it has been read to us. Do you think we are ready to vote for it when we have not heard all of it? If we pass the motion made by Mr. Garrison we will commit ourselves to the whole bill. Now, do we wish to do this without being sure as to its entire contents? Mr. Williams. This is a very important fact. There is a good deal of law in this bill and we have heard only a part of it. It may be well to recommend the passage of that or a similar one. The bill offered by Senator McBride requires a great deal of work and machinery to operate it. Mr. Lewis. If the Legislature will protect the producer and the consumer in this matter, I shall be very glad to vote for the passage of it, but I have never known Legislatures to do that yet. Mr. Burrough. I am instructed by the Camden County Board of Agriculture to present to this body the following resolutions. (See Camden county Report.) Mr. Roberts.—I like the idea of those Camden county resolutions very much for the most part, but I do not like the idea of their recommending that a certain line of action be adopted. My judgment would be that it would be a great deal better to appoint a discreet committee to watch the legislation and advocate such bills as should be passed, to pay attention to any bills that may be offered, and attempt to shape and mould it to perfection, as nearly as possible. It is impossible for us to formulate this matter to-day and get it in good shape. Let our legislators take it, and when it is presented, read it care fully and study it item by item, and it will thus be brought out in a great deal better shape. They can do this much better than we can, and I think it better for us to appoint a committee. Mr. Burrough. I want to say in this connection that there has been an influx of bills on this subject. There are men here now— men who have been here ever since the Legislature convened, and who are staying here day by day-on purpose to protect the olecmargarine interests in this State, and one of their ideas is to get as many bills offered to the Legislature as possible, to watch their progress-the progress of any one bill-and to try to offer amendments to such bills, and when a bill is finally passed, they will have one that will not hold water, so to speak. Do not let us do anything but express in most emphatic language our contempt for the article itself. Judge Holcomb.-There is one very important thing which should not be forgotten in this connection, and that is if any one is appointed to look after our farming and dairy interests, we want a farmer at the head of it. We want a farmer at the head as the commissioner. The Chair. I presume there is not a person here in this room but who is in favor of the passage of some law to protect the producer of genuine butter. It is an indisputable fact that this spurious butter is being sold all over the State of New Jersey to-day. I notice that in Pennsylvania they have a very stringent law; they must place with the package a label or ticket telling just what the stuff is. I have brought here from Philadelphia these samples of oleomargarine. I bought these and took them from the package myself, and there was no mark upon the package to show what it is. I saw the packages myself, and there was nothing on it to indicate what its contents were, or to indicate the contents to be oleomargarine. There is no question in my mind that a law should be passed regulating the manufacture and sale of this article, and it should be stringent. very The evil is a great and growing one. All producers are entitled to some protection, as are all consumers. This is the law in Pennsylvania of which I have spoken before. I know of a gentleman in Philadelphia, a shopkeeper, who is selling this bogus butter, this oleomargarine, but he has no sign to indicate to the consumer that he is doing so. He has nothing to indicate that he is selling anything but the genuine article. Yet he sold this to me for oleomargarine, and told me that it was oleomargarine. The Secretary.-I think Mr. Roberts' amendment a very good one. I understand it is his idea to select a committee to watch the bill in all its features. We should all be largely interested in this plan. Mr. Crane. I suggest that the subject be deferred until the proper hour arrives. J. W. Dickinson.-I move you, sir, that we suspend the reading of the reports by counties, and that delegates be directed to hand over their papers to the Secretary. Carried. The Chair. We will therefore dispense with the reading of the reports from the rest of the counties, if there is no objection to such action, and they will be printed in their proper place. The business of the morning is, first, a paper entitled "Dairy Interests," by John I. Carter, of Chester county, Pa. The Secretary. I have a letter from Mr. Carter, regretting that indisposition prevents his being with us. The Chair. The whole subject of the dairy interest then is before you without Mr. Carter. The Board will be pleased to hear any person on this subject. I desire to call your attention to what we have here on the table before us. Mr. Burrough has brought us some genuine butter; I have brought three specimens of oleomargarine which I got in Philadelphia. The butter brought by Mr. Burrough is from one of the very best dairies in the country. Mr. Burrough.-The Committee on Credentials would like to make a report if the Board is ready to hear it. The Chair. That is a privileged question and the Chair rules that they can be heard if they so desire. Mr. Burrough. We find the following associations, county boards, granges, etc., have reported by the following delegates: Hon. THOS. H. DUDLEY..............State Agricultural Society. DELEGATE. CHAS. E. ELMER........ WM. S. TAYLOR.......................... JAS. LIPPINCOTT. DAVID T. HAINES........................... SOCIETY. ........Geological Survey. Hon. EDWARD BURROUGH.... MORRIS BACON......... W. O. GARRISON.......... ISAAC S. CRANE..... AUSTEN E. HEDDEN.. Board of Visitors to Agricultural College. .....Board of Visitors to Agricultural College. ...Board of Visitors to Agricultural College. .....Experiment Station. ...Experiment Station. ...Atlantic County Board of Agriculture. Camden County Board of Agriculture. GEORGE H. GAUNTT................... Gloucester County Board of Agriculture. JOHN T. Cox........ ISAAC H. HOFFMAN.... HENRY F. BODINE......... THEO. CUBBERLEY... W. D. VANPELT... D. C. LEWIS........ J. M. WHITE.............. D. D. DENISE......... D. A. VANDERVEER...... M. D. DICKINSON.......... .....Hunterdon County Pomona Grange. .Hunterdon County Pomona Grange. .Middlesex County Board of Agriculture. EDWARD BURROUGH, ROGERS, Committee. These gentlemen are entitled to their expenses in attending this State Board of Agriculture to be paid by the State. On motion the report was received and adopted. Mr. Roberts.-There is one matter I would like to speak about. There are a number of gentlemen here who feel a delicacy in talking upon any question brought up in the proceedings, feeling that as they are not delegates to the State Board they are not entitled to the privilege of the floor. If I am correctly informed any farmer here has the right to speak on any business before the Board. I know there are quite a number of gentlemen here who are not delegates, and who would like to make remarks upon the questions brought before the State Board if they may be allowed, even though they are not delegates. I only want to call your attention to the fact that all may feel at liberty to speak upon any question if they so choose. The Chair. As a matter of course the Board of Agriculture is a corporation incorporated by the State. As the Chair understands the State law it provides for the election of certain gentlemen as delegates to this Board. These persons have the right to bave their expenses paid on coming here. The law also recognizes other members of the Board. Any person belonging to any agricultural society, or association, or grange, has a perfect right to come upon this platform and speak upon any question brought before the State Board of Agriculture. Any such gentlemen may be elected as officers of this Board. I only hope that every one here present will feel himself at liberty to participate in the proceedings of the State Board. You should all feel at liberty to do this. It is by coming here where we are all to be instructed in that which is most necessary to our success as farmers. I would like to see every respectable farmer in the State come here and take part in the proceedings of this State Board. It is only by meeting together and comparing views that we are enabled to educate and instruct in agriculture. The Board will now continue the oleomargarine question. Mr. Roberts.-I move that a committee of five be appointed, including the Chairman, to whom the whole matter be referred. The Committee appointed are: Mr. Roberts, Burlington; Mr. Dudley, Camden; Mr. Crane, Essex; Mr. Burrough, Camden; Mr. Taylor, Burlington. |