New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-03
oLEOMARGARINE AND THE SENATORSHIP.

The senatorship struggle manifests itself not only
by efforts TO commit members of the Legislature TO
the support of this that candidate but also by at
tempts to influence public opinion about the merits
of the several candidates. Thus ex-Congressman
Davy, Of Rochester. having stated that the farmers
Of the State feel grateful to Senator Miller for his
sage of the oleomargarne law, Theodore c. Teale
of Palenyille ardent supporter of Levi L Morton,
for tho senaorshp, declared in Yesterdays TRIBUNE
that from his talks with farmers he had gained the
the opinion that the farmers thought the law Of little
use TO them, and were therefore grateful TO no ono
for it, adoption.
81 have seen the criticisms of the oleomarcarine law
with considerable surprise said Senator Miller ut
tho Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday afternoon "Why."
lie continued. the olcomargarnc law has doubled
the price of butter. Doesn't that help the daryman
1t is absurd to point to the receipts for licenses to
manufacture oleomargarine, and then that this
proves that the sale of oeomarearine is increasing
in consequence CT the passage Of the law. The fact
that the retailers not taking out licenses: COM
palativeiy few have been taken out In this city or
elsev hero. The manufacturers have bought q large
number Of STAMPS, but that doesn't mean that they
have manufactured that amount Of oIcomargarnc
The stamps hand and can be used any time
There is no standard Of comparison by which You
can measure the sale Of oeomargarine this year and
last year. There were no trustworthy records last
year. Besides, ii must DO remembered that these
licenses issued for an entire year.
"But there is infallble test Of the efficiency
of the law and that is the attitude of the oleomarga
rine dealers and manufacturers toward 1t. Why arc
they down on their knees begging that the license
fees may he lowered. They lately held q convention
in st. Louis at which they resolved ~ bring a Du
before Congress 10 reduce the license fees Of the retail
dealers from $iS to Sl2. They are now circulating
petitions all over the country to Congress to pass
this bill II they are not hurt by the oeomargarinc
law, why do they squeal? Then the point is made
also that Ito tax of cents a pound oeomarearino
is too low. The tax of cents pound was not
what wanted. / attempted to pass bill fixing tbs
tax at cents everybody knows, but 1t was reduced
TO cents by vote Of a majority Of the senator's.
The strong feature OF the bill is the license fee Manu-
liam at Vtn1A
sale dealers $780, and retail dealers s4S The oleo-
margarine people made big fight In the Senate TO
reduce the license fec for retail dealers from $4S to
Sl2. but fought them hard, forced them TO vote.
and defeated thei notion The most valuable feature
of the Is that it forces grocers to sell the oleo-
margarine for Just what II IL. The keg Is branded
and bears upon II the Internal Revenue stamp show
ing that the tax has been paid. The buyer of olco-
margarine knows therefore. what he buys Morc-
over. the kegs being branded and the dealer having
been competed to take out license. the State laws
can be enforced Before 1t would have taken thous-
ands OF TO enforced the State oleomararine
law. Now If 1t is not enforced the fault lies with
the State officers They can discover IRON the books
the United States just VINO it Is that sells or manu-
features oeomargarlne. Every ono knows that al
liquor dealers tke out United States license and
yet that the State does not secure license foe for
itself from every one of these liquor dealers 1hec
are great many unlicenSed liquor stores In this
Sta,e That is notorious fact. The State 1t is that
l. at fault not the United States The United States
laws in regard 10 olcomrgarine Will lie enforced:
II there is any sale OF oeomargarne butter after
mat, IL VIII DC the iauit Oh tho au'hoIiucs oi 'ho
several States. by passing the law the United states
has extended its aid to the several States III their
warfare against the compound. We have put tho
license Zee higher than that OF liquor dealers and
tobacco dealers The leading dairyulen were satisfied
with the law just as II passed. One OF them Wrote
to fellow senator of mine expressing the opinion
that the tax of . cents a pound was sufficient anu
that all that they desired was that oeonafsAlino
should DO branded, stamped and sold upon Us own
merits. such competition they were Winns 49,, IT,
Finally | may LAY that have recei'ou MANY io''cs
from farmers concerning the oleonars a.n' ia"' anu
that they eminenty satishea WIN ~