Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-11
ROUTINE WORK or THE HOUSE.
Debate on tbe ruled Cheese Bill
Taken TN Again.

Inhcn VI hpntns
WASHINGTON, April 10.--Mr. Halner, re-
publican Of Nebraska. reported the fortinca-
ton appropriation bill.
The senate bill 10 amend the act relating
to the Choctaw Coal company was passed,
but a bill to increase the pension OF the
widow OF Colonel John Irving Gregg failed.
Representative Loud, republican Of Califor-
mia, said he would oppose all bills to increase
pensions Of officers widows.
A bill was passed granting about 1000
acres Of land to the city Of Colorado Springs,
Colo, for a reservoir site.
Mr.. Grosvenor, republican Of Ohio, then
demanded the regular order In the interest
OF the filled cheese" bill, and the debate
on that measure was resumed with the I'M
Outstanding that general debate should close
at 4:30 today. Grosvcnor, in charge OF the
bill. addressed the house In favor of It's
passage. He described in detail the manu-
facture OF filled cheese from skinned milk
and leaf lard. OF all the persons who had
appeared before the ways and means COM
mittee, he said, but one, manufactures
of filled cheese, had opposed the bill. The
bill had been framed on the lines OF the
oleomargarine bill, which had become a law
against the most intense opposition. Although
subjected to the severest tests of litiga-
ton, 1t had been held to be constitutional in
all essentials. The committee therefore had
held to the legal pathway blazed by that
bill. 1t was, Mr.. Grosvenor argued, the
duty of legislation to protect the producers
Of food products from competition with coun-
~terfeits. The expectation Of filled cheese, he
claimed, had practically ruined the foreign
market for genuine American cheese. The
bill did not prohibit or discourage the manu-
facture Of filled cheese; 1t simply forced the
manufacture and sale of 1t under its true
colors.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Cannon, Mr..
gatJ that Ha1rita tho taYattnn
and penalties in the oleoniargarine law, the
manufacturers had gone on making vast
profits. Tho testimony before the ways
and means committee. he said, demon
strated that the law was violated 1000 times
a day in the city Of Washington.
rs not the experience with the oleo-
margarine law not the best reason?" asked
Mr.. McMillin, 'why this effort to destroy
an industry by taxation should not be made?"
Mr.. Grosvenor denied that the bill pro-
posed to destroy the industry. The regula-
lions in the bill, he said. would compel the
sale Of filled cheese under its true name.
Mr.. Otey opened the debate in opposi-
ton to the bill, and Mr.. McMillin, a men,
Der of the ways and mears committee, made
the principal argument against 1t. He argued
that there was no reason why the manufac-
turers of filled cheese should be taxed, while
the manufacturers of other forms OF cheese
were not taxed, and that Hesort to the forms
of taxation for the suppression of its produc-
ton or sale was an abuse Of that power.
Mr.. Tawney, to show the injury done to
the legitimate cheese industry by the manu-
~facture of filled cheese, cited the fact that
in 1890 there were 100 cheese factories In
his state producing 10, 200, 900 pounds OF
cheese. Last year there were but thirty,
four factories, the production Of which was
less than 1000, 900 pounds. lii 1895 :dr eX-
portation of cheese was lis, 600, 900 pounds,
and Canada exported but 10000, 900 pounds.
Last year. as a result Of the expectation OF
bogus cheese, our expectations lad fallen
to 81 600, 900 pounds, while Canada's expor-
tations had increased to LAG, 900, 600 pounds.
After some further remarks by Mr.. Shaw,
Mr.. Clardy, Mr.. Underwood, Mr.. Evans and
Mr.. Linney, against the bill, and Mr.. Sauer-
herring and Mr.. Barney in favor OF the bill,
.Mr. Dolliver closed the debate. He supporte
it on three grounds: 1t would tend to bring
revenue into the treasury. the oleomargarine
act, against which the identical arguments
of today had been urged produced $4,000 90
annually; secondly, the bill would furnisi
an appropriate legal protection against the
adulteration of the peoples food. Filled
cheese was a commercial fraud. Butter bad
heen protected, why should not cheese be?
Third. he was in favor of giving he .rw a
fair chance, and Of protecting her in the
production of butter and cheese.
Pending the reading of the bill for amend
ment, the committee rose.
After the transaction or some minor pusl-
ness, the house, at 5 p. m, took a recess
until 8 o'clock, the evening session to be Tor
the consideration Of private pension bills.
At the night session an attack was made
on the pension committee for
larger pensions than the law allowed to the
widows of officers. Mr.. Talbert, Mr.. Baker,
Mr.. Hemingway and Mr.. Mccall all protested
against this course. The latter declared
that he was willing to attend Friday night
sessions, if their object was the reliet OF
the poor soldiers who fought In the trenches,
but IL their purpose was to vote large pen
sions to officers widows, he would not be
present. Mr.. Picker, chairman of the com
mittee, defended the course OF the committee,
especially IN the case of the widow OF Cen
eral Abner Doubleday, in which the COM
mittee recommended 500 a month because OF
the exceptional conditions surrounding that
case. Mrs. Doubleday, he said, had been con-
stantly at her husbands side during the re-
bellicn, and had endured the actual hard
ships Of campaigning. At Sumter she mad
stood guard. The bill was not acted upon,
however, before the hour of adjournment
was reached.
Among the other bills favorabiy acted upon
was one to pension Josephine Foote Fairfax.
the widow of the late Rear Admiral Fairfax,
at the rate Of $50 per month.
Denies Being nm English Concern.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-General Wager
SWayHe Ol NeW iOTh tOudy Hldue IL SldLe-
ment to the house committee on commerce in
the interest of the Spauld!ng Cable company,
which is competing with the Serymser COM
pany for a government subsidy for a cable
to the Hawaiian islands and Japan. General
Swayne resented the charges made
against his company, that it was under En-
glish influence and inspired by Sir John Pen
der. He stated that his company would meet
any offer of terms made by the other COM
pany. The owest subsidy he was willing to
accept without consultation with his COM
pany was $160 900 a year for twenty years.
1t was unnecessary for such a company to ex-
tend its Inc to China, he said, because there
was already sufficient cable facilities between
Japan and China.
Giving Alaska Representation.
WASHINGTON. April 10.-The senate
committee on territories today authorized a
favorable report of the bill providing for a
delegate in congress from Alaska.
Condition of the Treasury.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-Today's state
ment of the condition of the treasury shows:
Available cash balance, s270, 500. 904; gold re-
serve, $12S,02 ,754.
AND