Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-15

House Passes the Grout Bill Relating
to the Subject.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-The house spent
almost the entire day debating the Grout
bill to subject oleomargarlne and other imi-
tation dairy products to the laws of the
states into which they are transported The
advocates OF the measure took the view
that the states should be allowed to regulate
the sale of a product sailing under false col
ors, and the opponents argued that the bill
would establish dangerous precedent and
invade the power Of congress to regulate
interstate commerce.
Those who supported the measure were
Messrs. NoIthway republican of Ohio; Morse
republican of Massachusetts,; Lacey, repub-
lican of Iowa; Hainer, republican of Ne
braska; WILLS, republican of Delaware
Grosyenor, republican of Ohio, and Hender-
son, republican Of Iowa. Those who opposed
it were Messrs. Cooper democrat of Florida
Tucker, democrat OF Virginia; Cannon, repub-
lican of Illinois, Boatner, democrat of Louis
lana; Cleary, republican of Kentucky, and
Williams. republican of Massachusetts,.
The bill is as follows:
That all articles known as oleomargarine
butterine, imitation butter or imitation
cheese, or any substance in the semblance
of butter or cheese not the usual product
of tle dairy and not made exclusively of
pure and unadulteratee milk or cream,
transported into any state or territory or
remaining therein for use, consumption,
sale or storage therein, shall upon arrival
in such state or territory, be subject to the
state or territory enacted IN the exercise OF
It's police powers to the same extent and in
the same manner as though such article OF
substance had been produced in such state
or territory and shall not be exempt there
from by reason of being lntroduced therein
in original packages or otherwise; provided
that nothing in this act shall be construed
to permit any state TO forbid the sale of
oleomargarine except in such a manner as
will advise customer of its real charac-
ter
Mr. Cooper, democrat of Florida. was the
first to oppose the bill He argued that IL
would take away from congress the right to
regulate commerce between the state Con-
gross had abrogated its power in the case of
whisky. That was perhaps defenslble, but
the moment congress delegated this power in
the case of another product interstate com
merce would be demoralized. The precedent
would arise to plague congress in the future
and lead to infinite confusion.
Mr. Northway, republican of Ohio argued
in favor of the bill and said the people of
one state should not be allowed to import
into another state and sell products which
the people of that state could not them
selves put on the market.
Mr.. Lacey called the attention OF Mr.
Williams. democrat of Mississippi, who was
in charge of the opposition to the bill, to
the fact that the state of Missouri prohibited
the sale of olemargarine except when branded
as such. He said that the states certainly
should have the right and had the right to
regulate the sale of deleterlous food just
as they had the right to regulate the sale
of whisky and tobacco.
Mr. Cannon, republican of Illinois. insisted
that olemargaIlne was not deleterious food
product, but was in fact, more wholesome
than three fourths of the butter sold in the
United States. If the principle of this bill
were applied. he said. all these manufacturers
could be barred from sale in other states.
HAINER SPEEKs.
Mr.. Halner republican OF Nebraska, sup
ported the bill and said 80 per cent of the
n 00O, 600 pounds of oleomargatine which an
nualy invaded the domain of the genuine
dairy product way sold as butter. The
dairy interests had right to protection
from this counterfeit product.
Mr.. Boatner, democrat of louisiana said
the advocates Of the bill were proceeding on
the theory that oleomargatine was a cheat
and deleterious to the public health. If
that were true, he declared the dairy in
terests would not need to come to congress
as the states had perfect right, in the ex-
erclse of their police power, to interdict
the sale OF something which threatened the
health of her citizens.
Mr.. Cleary, democrat Of Kentucky and
Mr. Williams, democrat of Tennessee also
spoke against the bill and Mr.. Willis demo-
crat OF Delaware and Mr.. Grosyenor repub-
llcan OF Ohio in favor Of It..
The later closed the general debate In
the course OF his remarks he said II was
peculiar comment on the march Of political
opinion to see old line democrats who had
in the past defended state rights with the
sword nov arguing that the hands OF the
states were tied and that congress had the
power to force into a state against her VIII
products which she did not desire sold there
MIR, Grout In charge OF the bill offered
an amendment providing that nothing In this
act shall be construed TO permit any state
TO forbid the manufacture OF sale OF oleo.
margarine In such a manner as will advise
the customer OF its real character"
During the debate on this subject Mr.
Henderson republican OF Iowa recalled the
long hlibusterlng fight against the original
oleomargarine bill, when. he said the com
psnles Of Chicago and Kansas City were