The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-23

b.xing nnder Consideration the bin III. B. sS2sl de-
timing butter, also imposing tax upon ana To-
portation of oleomargarine-
Mr.. BARKsDALE said:
Mr.. Chairman: l have listened with
profound interest to the discussion OF this
subject and have been surprised by the
;nvact;ve and passionate defamation
which have been INDUCED by honorable
members. The question whether oleomar-
garine or imitation butter made in the
form. flavor, and likeness OF the genuine
article. which is the product OF the dairy,
but does not possess its ingredients. should
he subject to taxation, is purely economic
and ought to be considered As any other
economic question, from the high plane oil
reason and of public policy.
Every lawmaker in deciding what his
course should be with reference to ques-
lions requiring his action should first ap-
pIv to il the test OF the Constitution. The
present measure which has been reported
fayorablv by the Committee on Agrleul-
ture will stand this test. Its constitution
ality can not be doubted. The language
of the Constitution is as plain as the let
tiers of the alphabet. Section 5, Article /,
of the Constitution says that Congress
shall have power to lay and collect taxes,
&c. The power being conceded, then, its
exercise in the particular case under con-
sideration becomes simply Z question OF
public policy and expediency. | am sup
porting the bill for the reason that it is
sound public policy aud therefore expedi-
ent.
| do not agree with those who support il
simply as measure of protection to any
other article with which imitation butter
comes into competition. The primary OBJ
| ject of the grant of power 10 impose taxa
| ton is not for protection to favored classes
but TO raise revenue for the support OF the
| Government. A revenue tax upon any ar
| ticle, whether direct or upon imported
goods, affords incidental protection. 1t Is
| an inevitable consequence, and is not IL
conflict with the Constitution. The pro-
posed tax upon imitation butter will Incl
dentally protect very large and growing
branch of the agricultural industry which
affords sustenance and support to every
other avocation. Agriculture is the fun
damental source of the country's wealth
Whatever benefits agriculture contribute
TO the country's prosperity and greatness
While the bill will afford incidental pro
lection 10 the stock-raising and dairy
producing class OF farmers, il will not tai
imitation butter out of existence. TIL
cost of producing this article is trifiug il
consequence of the cheapness of the ma
terials from which it is manufactured
The cost of manufacturing it is estimates
at cents a pound. Add tax of 10 cent
and it will be put on the market at
cents pound. | have before me circu
lar of an imitation-butter manufacture
proposing to furnish it at 10 cents pound
1t is known that genuine butter-th
: product of the dairy-can not be made fo
less than 25 cents a pound with fair prof
to the producer. This will leave a margi
of reasonable profit to the manufacture
and handler of the imitation article.
will secure life to the former industry, an
r will not destroy the latter.
: | base my support of the bill upon th
2 ground that it is tax for revenue, an
t not for protection or prohibition. In roun
numbers the annual expenditures of tn
[ Government are $500, 1000, 600 year. Tt
/ party of which | am member is pledge
to reduce this expenditure to the lowe
!. figure compatible with the efficient admin
, istration of the Government But, neve
| theless, the money must be raised for i
:. support 1t can be done only by taxation
: and the burden should be so imposed as
e bear as lightly aud as equitably as possib
l upon the people. A tax upon pretendt
}, butter would fall principally upon
Il wealthy manufacturers, who under exis
!, ing laws are untaxed. A single firm
e said to realize profit of million dolla
e annually. This princely revenue is d
t. rived from the toiling people of the cou
II try, who, in consuming the article, are d
II ing so in the belief that it is genuine butte
V | would prefer that the tax should be FIX,
J. at cents a pound That would yield
v annual revenue of S12,OO0,000 tax
10 cents a pound would yield $4,000, 00
J. In imposing this tax sound policy Won
n dictate corresponding reduction upon {
absolute and indispensable necessaries
life, such articles of food as sugar and sa
and of the implements Of labor, machi
cry, farming and mechanical tools, al
wearing apparel. The imposition Of |
ltax, while thus incidentally banefitting
great and growing industry, and reduci
the cost of articles of absolute necessit
r would involve but small cost in its cole
4 ton. The Internal-revenue law, viii
will remain in force as long as it is exI
e dent to tax distilled spirits and tobacC
provides the necessary machinery for CT
Letting the tax.
rs 1t seems to have been overlooked tn
d the proposed tax applies only to initiate
or fraudulent butter, not to an article viii
T. sails unuer lIs own cOlOfS.
10 | have not based my support of the b
r upon the ground assumed by some of
10 advocates that oleomargarine is frau
:; that the materials of which it is compos
render it deleterious to public health, a
that it should be taxed out of existence
y. that reason upon the same principle
which laws are passed 70 establish a n
,e tional board of health, and to prevent t
10 introduction and spread of diseases c
,r structive to human life. That is donna
70 upon which | do not choose to go.
70 qualities, whether wholesome or peri
cious, do not enter into the considerati
- of the subject far | am concerne
e The testimony and the arguments up
u this point are widely divergent. Mr.
'e mour, of Chicago, the leading member
the largest oleomargarine firm in t
o. country, makes the following stateme
under oath, of the materials and metho
d employed by his company in its manufa
\ ture
D STATE OF ILLINOIS, Cook County, IS
d Philip ID. Armour, being first duly swol
is deposes and says that he Is a reside
II of the city of Chicago, in the State of
j. linois, and that he is a member of I
It firm of Armour & Co.
/. Deponent further says that said firm
70 Armour & Co., in the course of the
Il business, makes and sells oleomareari
: and butterine, and that this depone
o. knows of his own knowledge the materi:
g and methods used by said firm in the ma
- ing OF said products. They are as follow
METHODS OF MANUFACTURE.
n. The fat is taken from the cattle in t
% process of Strengthening, and after thorou,
L
h water, and surrounded with ice, where it
allowed to remain until all anima al heat h
: been removed. 1t is then cut into srn;
= pieces by machinery and cooked at tel
perature of about 1902 until the fat
liquid form mas been separated from t
fibrine or tissue; then settled until If
perfectly clear. Then it is drawn in
granting watts and allowed to stand a ds
when it is ready for the presses. L
d pressing extracts the stearine leaving [
N remaining product, which is commercial
4 known as oleo oil, which, when clIurn
N with cream or milk, or both, and wi
d usually proportion of creamery butt,
he the whole being properly sailed, gives t
st new food product, oleomargarine.
as In making butterine we use neutral la,
K which is made from selected leaf lard in
ID very similar manner to oleo oil, exceptil
Of that no stearine is extracted This neutr
n, lard is cured in salt brine for forty-eig
he to seventy hours at an ice-water temper
r ture. 1t is then taken and, with the d
sired proportion of cleo oil and fine butt.
IN Is churned With cream and milk, product
r an article which, when properly sailed a.
e packed, is ready for market.
y In both cases colorIng matter is us
- which is the same as that used by dair
y men to color their butter At certain sc
{ sons of the year, namely, in cold wealth,
small quantity of salad oil made fro
e cotton seed is used to soften the texture
! the prodnct but this is not generally Ia