Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-05

reyeuUe taxes rather than the surrender
of Gry part of our protective system"
This plank declares not merely for the
repeal CT the whisky tax in preference to
| interference with tariff taxes, but for the
abolition of all internal revenue taxes,
including that of oleomargarine. The
laS for tax on oleomargarine or bogEs
butter, was enacted in 1856, and approved
by President Cleveland on August I'd of
that year.
BENEFIoIENT TAX OF PEACE.
II is, therefore, not war tax but
| peace tax. The declared purpose of the
| law was to protect the farmers OF the
| United States against the fraudulent
competition of bogus butter sold under
| the brands of genuine dairy produce. The
act was passed on the urgent recommen-
| dation of the agricultural associations of
| the country, and the president fled with
the copy of the new Law, signed by him,
| the following memorandum
PRESIDENT CLEvELANDs RKAsoNs.
at has been urged as an objection TO
this measure that, while purporting to be
legislation for revenue, its real purpose
ls to destroy by the use of the taxing
powers, one industry of our people
LOT In6 duu pEOtSCblOu VI
another. If entitled to indulge in
such a suspicion as a basis of
official action in this case, aud if
entirely satisfied that the consequences
indicated would ensue, should doubtless
feel restrained to jnterpOse executive
dissent. But 90 not feel called upon to
interpret the motives of congress other
wise than by the apparent character of
the bill which has been presented to me,
and | am convinced that the taxes which
il creates cannot possibly destroy the
open and legitimate manufacture and
sale of the thing upon which 1t Ia levied.
If this article has 5he merit which It's
friends claim for it, and if the people of
the land with full knowledge of its real
character, desire to purchase and use 1t,
the taxes exacted by this bill will permit
fair profit to both mepufacturer and
seller. If the existence of the oomnod-
ity taxed and the profits of
its manufacture and sale depend
upon disposing of it to the people
for something else which it deoeltfuily
initiates, the entire enterprise is a fraud |
and not an industry, and if it caapot en-
dure the exhibition of its real character, |
which will be affected by the inspection,
supervision ana STAN ping which this bill |
directs, the sooper it is destroyed She
better, in the intereet of fair dealing.
"Such a result would not furnish the |
first instance in the history of legisla- |
tion in which revenue bill produced d |
benefit which was merely incidental to |
it's main purpose, There is certainly no
industry better entitled to the incidental |
advantages which may follow this legIs |
lstion than our farming and dairy inter |
ests, and TO none of our people should
they be less begrudged than our farmers
AID d2irymen. The present depression
of their occupations, the hard, steady aud
often unremuneratIye toll which such |
occupations exsct, and the burdens of
taxation which our agriculturists necos-
sarIly must bear, entitle them to every
legitimate consideration.
Nor should there be opposition to the
incidental effect of this legislation on
tho part of those who profess to be en-
gagged honestly and fairly in the manu-
faoture and sale of q wholesome and
valuable article of food, which by its pro-
visions may be subject to taxation. As
long as their business is carried on under
cover and by false pretenses, such men
have bad companions in those whose
manufactures, however vile and hurtful, |
take their place without challenge with q
better sort in common crusade of deceit |
against the public. But if this occupa- |
tion and its methods are forced into the |
light, and all these manufactures must |
either stand upon their merits or fall, the |
good and bad must soon part company,
andthe fittest only will survive
FOLLOWED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE.
The commission er of agriculture united |
earnestly in a request for the passage of
the bill, and stated the necessity for it as
q measure of protection, and the farming
interests in q communication which in
cludsd the following passages:
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
"There are from -four to five millions
American citizens engaged in the dairy
business, and they must all abandon it
and be driven into some other already
overworked branch of industry unless
they can be relieved fron the present
1uinous competition with cheap imita-
tions of butter and cheese. This legisla-
tion is necessary because the states have
not been able thus far to even suppress
or properly control the great evil of
which have spoken, and as q sufficient
remedy cah be found nowhere, in my
mept.'
The strongest possible efforts we're
made to induce the president TO veto the
bill. The most ingenious attorneys were
employed, and the shield of the constitu-
tion was invobed to protest those who
we're initiating farmers products and
depriving them of their legitimate and
hard earned profits. But Cleveland, as
uot ba 10
CLEVELAND STANDS BY THE FARMER.
He stood by the farming interests, and
after the act was signed gave personal
attention TO the manner of its execution
IN his anxiety that the farmers should be
saved from loss.
| This admirable law, which affords rue
| protection to American labor, caused au
| increase IN the sales of the dairy farmers
| of the country IN one year to the exteut
! of S25, ,000, coo, and in the state of New
York slone the difference was $2,5OOOOo.
The republican platform asks that this
| tax be repealed, aud that no less than
! twenty-fy million dollars per year be
I taken out of the pockets of the dairy
| farmers of the United States by those
! who used fat, offal, cottorseed oil, sni
all manner OF disgusting refuse to make
what they would like to sell, under the
! names of butter and cheese.
/ HOW DAIRY FARMERS ARE PROTECTED
/ The national law does rot simply enact
| that the farmers shall be protected; 1t
/ provides iast how the protection shall be
/ carried ont. The internal revenue system
| afforded the necessary machinery, and
/ the same methods of supervision and
/ sccouutingc are made applicable to the
/ bogus butter factories as to the vhisky
| distiueries. The product Of every factory
1 is branded for Just what it is, and
heavy special taxes are imposed on the
/ manufacturers of the vile stud to insure
full return of their products. The gov
! ernmeut of the Uaited States also watch.
/ ed these factori-s. and is is well known
/ that so com plete has been the enforce