Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-16
ABOUT A BIG swINDLG.
How Public Opinion Is Sometimes Man
ufactured and Made Into Abominsbie
Law.
Labor Tribune

IQOOT ITtOhHc
Under the caption bad Butterand Bad
Laws" the Philadelphia Record gives a
concise account of how 1t Is that the
United States government is so idiotic as
To place the manufacture and dealing In
oIeomargarine on the list OF subjects OF
internal revenue. The Record shows how
IL Is possible to manufacture bogus public
opinion and palm the result OH on careless
congressman. One reads this with the result
To seriously doubt whether the country Is
6t for self-governmeEt. more especially as
il describes only one instance OF many. Al
the present the working people and some
millions of others who are not in receipt OF
income TO purchase the best creamery, are
being imposed upon by the anti-oleo laws
TO an enormous extent In the aggregate.
The Pittsburg district alone Is paying not
less than one thousand dollars day extra
for oleo because Of the price put on II 10
make up for restriction OF State and Ma
tional laws. At the outset Of the use OF
oleo the price was two pounds for % cents.
Now the price is from 10 TO 20 cents O
pound. depending on the quantity pur-
chased. In quality the best oleo at $l.90 per
package of 10 pounds is only excelled by the
very best creamery butter. The writer
has demonstrated this often at his own
table. where country cousins with strong
preiudices against cleo have complimented
the uniform good quality OF the butter
that "butter' being nothing more nor less
than oleomargarine. The following from
the Record tells an interesting story OF how
legislation is sometimes accomplished.
we have 10 add TO it theone fact that 1t
was through the influence Of the late w.
+. Scott, OF Erie, that tho federal and
Pennsylvania bills were signed. Says the
Record:
San effort will be made in the next Con-
eress to repeal the tax on oleomnrgarine
and butterine AS the tax was net imposed
for the purpose OF revenue, but in order TO
depress one product for the benefit of an
other. IL is In fragrant violation OF Demo-
cratic principles. There is not In the Nc
Kiulev tariff anything more iniquitous than
this tax on oleomargarlne. 1t is, therefore,
mere can't of reform to talk Of revising the
Mckinley act while leaving this bad law
for the protection Of bad butter on the stat
ute book.
The scandalous circumstances connected
with the passage Of the oleomargarine law
are well known. A lobby, consisting Of
two or three impecunious individuals out
of a lob, established itself in Washington
and pretended TO represent most OF the
dairymen's associations OF the country.
In the name Of these associations the lob
byists sent out blank petitions 70 the far.
mers and circular appeals for funds 70 en-
able them to carry on the war against
artificial butter. To the appeal for money
most of the makers of poor and rancid but
ter responded with alacrity, and when the
campaign was over the lobbyists had a
very considerable balance in bank after
the payment Of hotel bills and printing ex-
penses.
at was In vain that some Of the most dis
tinguished chemists Of the country testi-
fed before a committee of Congress that
oleomargarine is ''au absolutely pure pro-
duct.n and that much Of the butter put
upon the market cannot be compared with
IL "a q wholesome and palatable article Of
food. Professor Chandler, Of Columbia
College, testifes that oleomargarine and
butterine ARE perfectly wholesome" and
that the process OF their manufacture Is
conducted with care aud cleanliness. Pro
fessor Barker, Of the University Of Penn
syIvania, says that the product prepared
under the patent of Mege INQUIRIES is las
valuable nutritive agent as BUTTER" that
II Is pure aud perfectly wholesome" and
that tits desirable as an article Of food. y
Professor Caldwell, of Cornell University,
bore similar testimony. Professor Henry
Morton. of. Stevens Institute, said, with
confidence, that oleomargarine SIS esseuti.
alIy identicafYith the best fresh butter,
and is very superior 70 mucn OF the outtel
made from cream alone that Is found In the
market
"There is no necessity however, 70 null
tiply this testimony. No chemist Of stand
ing in the world has ever uttered word
against oleomargnrine; put all have testi.
fed 10 the great value Of the discovery o!
Meee INQUIRIES. Yet the Testimony Of sci
ence could not withstand tie public opin'
ionp so industriously manufactured by the
diarymen's lobby In Washington, and a
grossly iniQuitous tax was imposed By
Congress upon pure and Wholesome arti
Gle Of food for the protection OF the makers
of bad butter The makers Of kood butter
have no need Of such prorectior. Wher
the oleomargaFine Dill was u3rer con
sideratton in Congress q COMMITTEES Of The
Knights Of Labor was in permapent ses
sion in Washington; but the waIktnR dele
gates had nothing 70 urge against "a out