Morning journal and courier., 1886-08-03
News by Telegraph
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
SIGNED BY CLEVELAND.
The OIeomargarine Act
Made Law.
A BUSY DAY IN CONGRESS.
Belfast In The Hands Of
A Mob.
SQUIRE AND The KNIGHTS.
A Boston lawyer Betrays
His Trust.
THE GARINE BILL

THE OLEOMARGARINE BILL
| Signed BY The President With A Sua-
| gestion To Tho House That 1t BE
| Somewhat Amended.
| WASHINGTON, August 2.-President Cleve-
| land to-day approved the oleomargarine bill
| and sent the following message to the House
notifying that body of his action, but sug-
| costing some amendments:
| To the House of Representatives:
| 1 have this day approved a bill originating
| in the House of Representatives entitled IAN
| act defining butter" also imposing tax
upon and regulating the manufacture, sale,
| importation and expectation of oleomarga-
| rine." This legislation has awakened much
interest among the people of the country and
| earnest argument has been addressed to the
| executive for the purpose of influencing his
| action thereupon. Many IN opposition have
| urged its dangerous character as tending to
| break down the boundaries between the
| proper exercise of legislative power between
federal and .. State authority many
in favor Of the enactment have
represented that it promised great
| advantages to large portion of
our population who sadly need relief, and
those on both sides of the question whose
| advocacy or opposition is based upon no
| broader foundation than local or political
| interest have outnumbered all the others.
/ This upon its face and in its main features is
| a revenue bill and was first introduced in the
| House of Representatives, wherein the constl-
tuition declares that all bills for raising reve-
| nue. shall originate The constitution has
/ invested Congress with a wide legislative
discretion, both as to the necessity OF taxa
/ ton and the selection, of the objects OF Its
burdens And though, if the question was
| presented to me as an original proposition,
| might doubt the present need of an increased
| taxation, 1 deem it my duty in this instance
| to defer to the Judgment of the legislative
| branch of the government which has been so
| emphatically announced in both houses OF
Congress upon the passage OF this
1 bill Moreover, those who desire to see remov-
| ed the weight of taxation now pressing upon
| the people from other directions may well he
| justified in the hnPo and expectation that the
sa1ootion of an additional subject of internal
/ taxation SO we'll able to bear it may well in
| consistency be followed by legislation reIiev-
| ing our citizens from other revenue burdens
| rendered by the passage of this bill even
more than heretofore unnecessary and need
| lessly oppressive. 1t mas been urged as an
| objection to this measure that while purport-
| ing to be legislation for revenue its real pur-
| pose is to destroy by the use of the taxing
| power one industry of our people for the
/ protection and benefit of another.
| a. If enlisted to indulge in such suspicion
if entirely satisfied that fhe e eo fhs case ana
dictated would ensue, should doubtless la,
| constrained to interpose executive dissent.
But [ do not feel called upon to interpret the
| motives of Congress otherwise than by the
| apparent character Of the bill. am con-
| WINGED that the taxes which it creates can
| not possibly destroy the open and legitimate
| manufacture and sale of the thing upon
! which it is levied. If this article has the
| merits which its friends claim for it,
and if the people of the land
with full knowledge of its character
desire to purchase and it,
the taxes .exacted by this bill will permit
fair profit to both manufacturer and dealer
If the existence of the commodity taxed and
the profits Gifts manufacture and sale depend
upon disposing of it to the people for some
thing else which it deceitfully initiates, its
entire enterprise is a fraud and not an indus
try and cannot endure the exhibition bill {
real character will be affected bEhe better
5lon, supervision ana dealing. Such
directs the sooner .1,tsh the first instance in
rasn1t won1d legislation IN when d re .lhere-
tba histsuced a benefit which WaTbera is
Incidental to its main purposfeed to the
certainly no industry better e. NAV follow
incedintal advantages Farming and dairy
this legislation than "none of our peo- /
interest, and thew be less {
pie sho-The present depression |
begrud Occupations, the hard, steady and OF {
Oh unremuenrative toll which such occupa-
tions exact. and the burdens of taxation |
which our aqriculturalists necessarily bear |
entitIe them to every legitimate consldera-
ton. Nor should there be opposition to the |
incidental effect of this legislation on the
subject of those who profess to be engaged
honestly and fairly IN the manufacture anu
sale of wholesome and valuable
article of food which by its pro
visions NAV be subject to taxation. AS long
as their business is carried on under cover
and by false pretences such men nave pau
companions in those whose manuiacV4reS,
however vile and harmful, take their places
without challenge with the other sort IN
common crusade of deceit against the pup
lie. But if this occupation aud its methods
are forced into the light, and all these manu-
factures must either stand on their merlts ol
fall, the good and bad must soon part compa.
nv and the fittest only will survive. MOI
the least important incident related |
IN this legislation is the defense afforded to |
the consumer against the fraudulent suostl-
tntion and sale of en- imitation for genu-
inc article of very general househoio uoo:
Notwithstanding the immense quantity Oh
the article described in this bill when
is sold to the people for their con
snn ntion as food, and notwith-
standing the claim made that It's
manufacture supplies cheap substitute
for butter, l venture to say that haroly
pound ever entered poor mans mouse niuet
its real name and true character WINE III
its relation to an article of this description
there should be no governmental regulation
of what tbs citizen should eat, it IS certainly
not a cause of regret if, by legislation OF this
| character, he is afforded means
by which he may better protecG
himself against imposition IN meeting Ing
| the needs and wants OF MS
| daily life. Having entered upon this leglsla-
ton it is 1nanifestly duty to render 1t as Ell.
l fecriye as possible in the accomplishment OF
| all the good which should legitimately folio"
in its train ,.,.;o1o
This leads to the suggestion that the article
| proposed to be taxed and the circumstances
| which subject it thereto should be clearly
and with great distinctness dehnea
in the statute. 1t seems that Inns
object has not been attained IN Inc Inc
| phraseology of the second section OF the p on
and that question may Wen ail9e % ~
| precise condition the article to De GaAeo may
| assume in order to be regarded as maze III
| imitation of butter, or when so maze calcu-
lated or intended to be sold as butter or Tor
butter The fourteenth and htteehth sec
lions of the bill in my OPINION
interference with the police powers OF the
States. Not being entirely satlshed OF the
| unconstitutionality of these provisions, ahu
regarding them not being SO coniieote 70
| and interviewer with the other sectioh as -
| found invalid to vitiate the entire measure,
have determined to commend them to the
| attention of the House with a view to an I'M
| mediate amendment of the Dill II IL shoulc
| be necessary and if 1t is PIaclicaole Q
: The fact too, that the bill does not Uake oil
feet nv its terms until ninety days hav'
s elapsed es after S its thus leaving
): but one month in operation before the mex
session of Congress, when if time does no
i now permit the safety and efficiency Of tn n
j. measure may be abundantly protected: .
+, remedial legislative action, ana the ue1if -
Is see realized the beneficial results which 1t
n1r Expected viii Immediately follow the inau
guration of this bill, have had their ln III
2 ence in determining my official action. IN
es considerations which Eave been referred
y, will, hope, justify this 'Ao-- az
u the suggestions which it contains.
US Tsianed1 GROVER CLEVELAND.
ed ~.
he heath SettleO thO 100
II. BALTIMORE, Aug. 2.-John Car"eu a
II scended fifty eight foot well on Paca sire
tie This morning to settle bet as to how de-