The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-08
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
TheSenate Sends the 0leOmargarine Bill
to the Committee on Agriculture.
The House Passes the Bill Repeating Pre-Emp-
ton, Timber-Culture and Desert-Land
Laws and the B. Il 0. Bridge Bill.
THE SENATE.

THE SENATE.
The Oleomargarine Bill Sent tn the Commit
tee Agriculture.
WAsHINGToS, June 7-Mr. Harris asked to
be excused from service on the special commit
tee appointed to investigate the matter of ap
continent Of Indian traders. Mr.. Harris re-
marked that the Commissioner of Indian At
fairs had been, from boyhood, one of his most
intimate personal friends, and while he fat
tered himself that be could impartially perform
She duties of such committeeman, yet he did not
khink il proper for him to act on the committee
1T all
Mr. Dawes suggested that Mr. Harris might
move to lay on the table the whole subject OF
she proposed investigation. He Mr.. DawesI
thought it evident there was disposition on the
part of the Senate to decline to 60 into the in
testigation.
Mr.. Harris said his very intimate acquaint-
knce with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
and perfect confidence in him would make it in
appropriate for him to make such q motion.
The Commissioner courted the most rigid scru-
tiny into his administration. He could stand
the test of any scrutiny the Senate thought
proper to apply.
Mr.. Harris was excused from service on the
committee.
Mr. Miller moved the reference of the oleo-
margarine bill to the committee agriculture
Mr.. Morrill, said if the motion should not pre-
vail, he Mr. MORRILL, would move to refer 1t to
the committee on finance. If 1t was to be con-
sidered as a revenue BILL the finance committee
was the proper committee to consider it.
Mr.. Vest thought the bill a revenue bill or
nothing. The question with him was simply
whether the government needed the revenue or
not He believed in taxation for revenue alone.
Mr. Beck said that if the bill did not go to the
finance committee he could not imagine any bill
that ought TO go to that committee. The tariff
bill might as well 90 to the committee on agri-
culture because the tariff affected the farmers.
Mr. Miller said he happened to know that
number of leading oleomargarine manufacturers
had been writing letters to Senators asking them
b oppose its reference to the committee on ag-
Ticulture.
Mr. Mcpherson asked whether letters had not
also been received by Senators asking them to
favor such reference. It seemed to Mr. Nc
Pherson that the bill was one dealing with the
revenue, and should go to the finance commit
Tee.
Mr.. Miller said the Senate must decide now
whether the agriculture Of the country was to
have fair hearing or not.
Mr.. Van Wyck said the leading feature of the
bill was not taxation. Taxation was mere in
eident.
Mr.. Butler asked how Congress got jurisdic
sion of the subject matter of the bill, if it was
not bill for raising revenue
Mr.. Van Wyck said the first few words of the
title of the bill were Defining butter" What
did the committee ON finance know about but
seA lhaugnter ...
on agriculture knew about butter.
Mr.. Van Wyck replied, Everything. Re
nswed laughter The people of the United
States, he said, wanted pure butter.
Mr. Maxey asked Mr. VanWyck what would
be left of the bill if the taxation feature was
stricken out
Mr.. Van Wyck replied that if the committee
on agriculture struck that out they would find
something else to put in its place. They might
2nfict pains and penalties instead of a tax: they
might, for instance, make it q misdemeanor to
fnapufacture fraudulent butter.
Mr.. Maxey could see authority. so far as the
several States were concerned. for Congress
dealing with such matter. except one for
taxation. OF course. he kept out of view, for
the moment the District of Columbia and the
Territories.
Mr.. Beck believed the bill would raise reve-
nue. of about $40 100000 We already have
surplus of about s25 600, 900 or $50, 600, OOO
mr. Edmunds regarded the bill as one of reve-
nue.. He wanted it to stand as a tax BILL and
not have the Supreme Court told, by and by,
thatit was mere evasion. It should 60 to the
taxing committee of the Senate.
Mr. Van Wyck said the committee on finance
had great deal to do, and if this bill were re-
ferred to it, the committee might not find 1t con-
venient to consider and report it back at this
session. There could be but one object in OPP
posing the reference to the committee on agri-
culture, ard that object was TO prevent taxation
on the subject.
Mr. Evarts said the bill dealt with food sub
stances, the products of the farm. He favored
reference to the committee on agriculture.
Mr. Beck thought tobacco also product of
the farm. The question of reference then came
30 vote and resulted for Mr. AIiller's motion
% against 2l-so the bill was referred to the
committee on agriculture. The vote in detail is
Is as follows: