The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-08-11
olEoMARGARINE BILL.
The President signs tlie Meas.
nre md Gives hia Ren.nnn.

nre ana Gives his Reasons,
WAsHtSerox, D. G., August p
The President has signed the Cleo.
margarine bill and sent The follow.
ling message to the House stating
his reasons for approving It:
! Toae Housof Representatives
/ have this day approved a bill.
originating in the Honse Of Repre-
senlaiiyes entitled IAN Act defn.
ing butter, also imposing a tax 10.
on andegulating the manufacture,
sale, importation and expectation
Of oleomargatine." This legisla.
tion has awakened much interest
among the people Of the country
and earnest argument has been adj
dressed TO the Executive for the
purpose Of influencing his action
thereupon. Many in opposition
have urged It's dangelousc character
as tending tobreak down The boun.
daries between the proper exercises
of the legislative poverty the Fed
eral and State authorities; many in
favor Of enactment have represent.
ed that it promised great advanta.
ges to II large portion Of our popa.
lation who sadly needed relief aud
those on both sides Of the question
whose advocacy or opposition IL
based upon no broader foundation
than local or personal inty@t have
outnumbered allthe Others This,
upon its face and in lis main fea
tures, is a revenue bill, and was
first introduced in the House,
wherein the constitution declares
that all bills for raising revenue
shall originate. The constitution
has invested Congress with a very
wide legislative discretion both as
to necessity Of taxation and selec
tion Of objects ofitsburdens. And
though If the question was present.
ed TO me as an original proposition
| might doubt the present. need Of
increased taxation, deem it my
duty in this instance 10 defer to the
judgment of the legislative branch
Of the Government, which has been
so impartially announced in both
Houses Of Congress.
Moreover, those who desire to see
removed The weight Of taxation
now pressing upon the people from
other directions may well be justi-
fed in the hope and expectation
that the selection Of an additional
subject Of internal taxation so well
able to bear it will in consistency
be followed by legislation relieving
our citizens from other revenue
burdens rendered BY the passage Of
this bill even more than heretofore
unnecessary and needlessly oppres
sive. 1t has been urged az an OBJ
lection to this measure that while
purpOrting to be legislation for rev
enue, its real purpose is to destroy,
by the use Of the taxing power one
industry ofOur people lor the pro.
lection and benefit of another, if
entitled to indulge in such a sus
picion as u basis Of official action
in this case and ifentirely satisfied
that the consequences indicated
would ensue | should doubtless feel
constrained to interpOse executive
dissent. But | do not feel called
upon 10 interpret the motives Of
Congress otherwise than by the APP
parant character Of the bill which
has been presented to me and | am
convinced that the taxes which il
creates cannot possibly destroy the
open and legitimate manufacture
and sale Of the thing upon which il
is levied. If this article has the
merit which its frienls claim for il
and if the people Of the land with
full knowledge Gifts real character,
desire to purchase aud use ii, the
taxes enacted BY this bill will per.
init a fair profit to both mannfac.
lurer and dealer. II the existence
Of the commodity taxed and The
profits Of its manufacture and sale
depend upon disposing Of it to the
people for something else which it
deceitfully imitates the entire en-
terprise is a fraud aud not an in.
dustry, aud if it cannot endure The
exhibition Of its real character,
which will be effected by the in.
speCtion, supervision and stamping
which this bill directs, the sooner
ii is destroyed the better, in the
interest Of fair dealing. Such a
result would not furnish the first
instance in history Of the legi.la.
ton on which a revenue bill pro-
duCed a benefit which was mainly
incidental To its main purpose.
There is certainly no industry bet
ter entitled to the incidental advan.
tages which may follow this legiS.
latiun than our farming and dairy
interests and to none Of our people
should they be less, gtndging than
our farmers and dairy.men. The
present depression Of their occu
pations, the hard, steady and often
unrenumeralive work whi,h such
occupations exact and the burdens
Of taxation which our agriCulru.
risls necessarily bear, entitle them
to every legitimate consideration.
Nor should there be opposition to
the incidental effect Of this legisla.
ton on the part Of those who pro
fess to be engaged honestly and
fairly in the manufacture and sale
Of wholesome and valuable arti-
Gle Of food, which by its provisions
may be subject to taxation. AsI