Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-25
The Vermont Senators and che Cleo
margarine Bill.

From the Burlington Free PressI
There is not a man in Congress who has
done half ~ much to promote the agricultu-
raj interests of our state and OF the country
az Mr. Morrill,. The simple fact that MIR.
Morrill, wanted this bill to go to the commit
tee of which he is chairman is very strong
evidence that the bill would stand better
chance there. We cannot understand how
any intelligent Vermont farmer, not utterly
blinded by his prejudices, can suppose that
Mr. Morrill, would wish a bill in which the
Vermont dairymen take such interest to be
not only smothered, but smothered In his own
committee where its failure would lie square
ly at his door, The thing is simply incon-
ceivable
As for Senator Edmunds, he has been at
work all the winter and spring to promote the
interest of the dairymen in this very thing
We know of a letter which he wrote several
months ago to an Addison county farmer, in
which he discussed the various ways in which
butter might be protected from the cheap i'm
itations of it, and arrived at the conclusion
that the most effective method was to lay
tax on the imitation-being the very idea af-
forwards embodied in the House anti-oleo-
margarine bill We know that he rendered
what assistance he could to that bill while it
was in the House. He gave, it is well known,
to Gen. Grout, the benefit of his valuable
counsel on the constitutional questions in
voved in the bill, and in other ways assisted
its passage. When it came to the Senate he
voted to refer it to the committee to which 1t
belonged, in which it would be best taken
care of, and in general took the course which
would not only best insure the passage Of the
bill, but insure its standing the test of the
courts in the legal ordeal which the bill will
inevitably have to pass. Can any Vermont
farmer name senator whose judgment on
these points would be likely to be better than
Mr.. Elmunds's? What his desire and his
judgment was, we are able to print in his own
words. To a Franklin county dsiryman Mr..
Edmunds wrote as follows the other day
SENATE CHAMBER,
wAsHISGroS, June LIST, 1886
Dear sir: / have yours of the nth ult., on the
subject of spurious butter. have been doing, dur
ing the winter and spring, everything could to pro-
mote the object the farmers have in view, but in the
way of taxation the Senate cannot act until bill
comes from the House, which hope will be soon.
GEORGE F. EDMUNDs.
Reuben Chafree, Esq, West Enosburgh, Vt.
The reason the Senate could do nothing, OF
course was that under the constitution of the
United States tax bills, like the bill taxing
oleomargarine, must originate in the House.
Two weeks later Mr.. Edmunds wrote as fol.
lows TO Windsor county farmer
SENATE CHAMBER,
WASHINGTON, d. c., June IA, 1886.
Dear sir: have yours of the 18th inst. If yor
had been better informed the subject of the oeo
margarine bill think you would not have written mt
in the way you have. As l the ground here
aud as l have been interesting myself to promote
what the farmers of Vermont wish all winter, and
trust have done some service, must be excused FOL
having an opinion as to what reference of the bill
when it came to the Senate, was best for their inter
ests. The bill can only stand consitutionaly as tai
bill, and do not propose, for one, to give 1t bac
eye by acting in such way as to show that as TAI
bill it a cheat and humbug, and merely intended
to discriminate against one kind of product and II
favor OF another. ~
(Which must first come from the House of Represent
atves) have always been sent to the committee on fin
auce, where they belong and Of which, as you know
the representative of the Vermont farmers Senate
Morrill,, is the chairman. 1t was great weakness Of
the part of of the friends of the bill to raise tn
Implication, by voting to refer to the committee oil
agriculture that it was not a bill and that it ha
not strength enough as tax bill to go through tn
Senate in the regular way. l happen to know tina
some of the strongest opponents OF the bill voted
send to the committee on agriculture Their motive
you can readily guess
how l, working and active friend Of the bill, though
was doing my duty to vote as did and have SUN
cent confidence in your intelligence to believe tina
you will now agree with me. Respectfully yours,
GEO. F. EDMUNDS.
This letter ought to bring blush to tn
cheek of any Vermonter, capable of blush
ing, who has been arraigning the course o
our senators in this matter. We know tina
some of the agricultural papers published il
New York state have insisted that il was all
Warner Miller's committee; but why Yer
monters should suppose that Mr.. Mller-wh
is, we believe, a paper manufacturer, no'
serving his first term in the Senate-coul
take any better care of that bill than our in
fuentisl, veteran Vermont senator, Justin
Morrill,, we do not comprehend. Unprejr
diced observers will certainly say that Their
are no two men in the United States Senst
whose judgment in regard to the best cours
to be taken to promote any measure in this
body is more valuable than that of Senator
Edmunds and Morrill,. They know the rope
quite as we'll as the newspaper men who VI
dertake to sit in judgment on their action
and no two senators can render more powe
FIJI aid to any bill in which they are interes
ed, than they. Though a serious mistake hs
undoubtedly been made-Rnd made by the al
OF the votes of some of the strongest oppC
nents of the bill-by referring it to the agr
cultural rather than to the finance COMMITTEES
our senators will still, no doubt, do what the
can for the bill. But it will not get along an
faster, or stand any stronger If it becomes
law, than it would have if it had gone to IL
proper committee.