Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-18
senator Edmund. on Oleomargsyne.

A genuine tempest in a teapot has been
excited among some of our farmers in the
last few days over the alleged hostility of
Senator Edmunds, and of Senator Morrill, as
we'll, to the oleomargarine bill, in proof Of
which the recent vote Of these senators to
refer'this bill in the Senate to the committee
on finance, instead of to the committee on
agriculture is cited. The anti Edmunds pa
pers throughout the state are shouting them
selves hoarse over this vote claiming that II
was "intended to kill the bill, >" and that our
two senators are treacherous guardians of the
interests Of the great industry of Vermont.
A more absurd and unfounded charge was
never fabricated. Both of our senators are
active and arnest advocates OF the bill, and
have been laboring for months to bring it
forward in proper shape to become an effect
i've law. 1t is well known that some Of the
strongest opponents Of the bill voted to send
| il to the committee on agriculture. Senator
| Edmunds has written to an iDquiring friend
| that the bill can only stand, constitutionally,
as a tax BILL and that the proper reference Of
all revenue bills is to the committee on finance,
Of which Senator Morrill, is chairman and
both our senators voted for that reference Of
this bill We cannot do better than quote
the following from the Free Press in reply to
the St. Adams Messengers bitter attack on
Senator Edmunds:
ave have long since ceased to expect any alluson
to Senator Edmuuds in the st. Alhaus Messenger to
be anything but unfair. We have repeatedly during
the present session called attention to statements
gardng his action in the senate which, If not design
eddy uutruthfu were at least wilfully misleading and
inaccurate. The latest instance OF the sort is it's
serton that Senator Edmunds 'arrayed himself with
the enemies Of the House ueOmargarine bill when IL
reached the Senate to kill it, by having It referred "a
the committee on hnance that be chose to act with
the cotton senators who represent the head aud
front Of opposition to the BILL aud it only saved
by the narrow majority of one, against his vote.
what Disclosure asks the Messenger may be e1.
pected next 2? Well the next disclosure is the usuA
one, that the Messenger is incorporating Mr.. Ed
munds's motives and action. What are the facti
which the Messenger thus distorts? They are, tha
debate action involving the MERITS or affecting
unayorably the prospects, Of the ELECTROMAGNETIC
bill has been taken by the Senate. The bill came il
from the House, and question at once arose as t
what committee 1t should be referred to, some hold
ing that, 1t bill to tax oeomargariue, 1t
revenue measure and should go to the committee OF
finance, while others held that as 1t az
fectinR the dairy interests it should to the commit
tee on agriculture This question was hrst raised,aui
the statement that If it was tax bill, AS 1t appeared
TO be, the committee finance should have jurisdic
ton Of 1t, was first made by senator Morrill, Of Yer
mont who is not much Of 'cotton-seed senator no
OF the country. senator AIdrich of Rhode Island
who is not exactly 'coton-seed SENATOR, said It
clearly aXb aud that to refer II to any other com
mittee than that on finance would be to imply want O
confidence In the committee to which the bill belong
ed. The finance committee, he said, would deal wit
1t as fairly as the committee on agriculture. Senate
Mcpherson Of New Jersey, not coton-seed senator
thought senator should contend that the bin ougt
to go anywhere but TO the committee finance; SET
T atOr HaHley Of Connecticut, who is not much Of
cOtton-seed, and other Northern senator's took thi
j. view. In stating his opinion that the bill belonge
. to the committee hnauce-of which readers wi
remember Mr.. Morrill, Is chairman-Mr .Edmunds sal
j he as much aud probably more in favor of IL
substance Of the BILL and for Aught he knew in fave
of the form of the bill, the senator Mr Van Wye
h Of NebraskA) who had made the principal ArgumeI
in favor Of sending the bill to the committee ayr
culture. ALI he wanted he said was to have the bi
go where only it could stand az constitutional bill
viz, to the tax committee. These facts all appel
plainly IN the Congressional Record. The discusso
measure, though It did not involve to any extent IL
II merits of the bill OF course man newspap
o has any Justification for the charge that the two We
mont senators and the other New England senate
l. who thought the bill should go to Senator Morrill,
4, committee arranged themselves with the enemies
the BILL to kill it. The Messenger makes SUE
p charge against other senators, but because Mr..
a munds happens to agree with them on the point
- reference, be trying to kill the bill! We la
words with which to Characterize this kind OF warfaT
, The Messenger is fast reaching the point at wh
l. nothing II has to say about Senator Edmunds will
q regarded by anybody Of the least consequence
Pure malice defeats itself in time