Evening star., 1899-03-14
A. GOODS EXAMPLE
Gov. Roosevelt Demands Prosecution
of oleomBEggasine mBEgsi Frauds.
ARMOUR&C0.' 'M0MBROhIsE REJECTED
Opportunity For the internal Rev.
enue Bureqh tq Follow Suit.
WILSON'S CHANCE

The telegraphic announcement In The
Evening Star yesterday that Gov. Roose-
Welt mad refused to sanction the compro-
mise OF the suits brought by the state of
New York against Armour & Co. of Chi
cago for violating the state butter laws,
created great interest in this city in many
circles, where the violators of the oieo-
margarine laws, both national and state,
appear to WELD such omnipotent power in
behalf of protecting themselves and their
agents. The history of the New York cases
will prove-instructive, and is as follows, ap-
pearing In a dispatch from Albany to this
mornings New York Journal:
Suits were brought four years ago by the
state 10 recover from Armour & Co. pen
aties amounting to $1,25O,OOO for selling
oleomargarine in this state as an imitation
of butter An agreement was entered into
by Armour &. Co., the state commissioner
of agriculture and the attorney general
that the suits be discontinued on the stipu-
lation that Armour & Co. pay to the state
$4,000 and agree TO sell no more O1eOmar-
garine In this state.
Gov. Black took no action in the mat
ter, and it was brought to the attention
of Gov. Roosevelt by resolution intro
duced in the senate by Senator Cantor a
week ago. "a
Not n Matter to Compromise.
Gov Roosevelt said he did not think
it was matter to compromise. Ths suits
were brought to recover 81, 100000 and a
compromise at $4,000 was either too small
or too great. 1t was too small If the state
had any ground for bringing suits for the
original sum, and too much if the state
had no case against Armour & Co. He was
of the opinion that the cases should be-
prosecuted and the determination left to
the decision of the courts.
1.-The state officers compromised the case
because thay thought they had not suffi-
cient evidence to secure judgment, and Ar
mour & Co., it is, said. agreed because it
would cost more than $4,000 to defend the
suits, even though they were won, and be-
cause they contemplated manufacturing no
more oeomargarine, and wanted to termi-
nate all matters connected with its manu-
facture.
PrOsecutioni VIII Follow,
THE suits were brought on the presump-
tion that Armour & Co. had on sale in New
York city, Brooklyn, Albany, Syracuse,
Rochester and Buffalo at least. one pack
age of oleomargainer for. a period of five
months The law -prescribes a penalty of
$1W per day for each package offered for
sale and the amount % the penalties was
determined by that presumption. If the
oieomargarine was -uncNored there was no
violation of law, Snd aN Injunction ofrthe
Supreme Court prevented the state authori-
ties from taking the original package sent
into this state by Armour & Co. durias-ths
period of alleged violation. The state was
EsnEable to ascertain if any violation-of law
WaS being committed 1t was this situa-.
ton that suggested the compromise. .
Attorney General Davies said today that
the governor had instructed him to pro-
eeed with the prosecution and he would do
SO, but 1t would be several weeks, before
any steps would be taken.'
What Commissioner Wilson Knows.
The very emphatic wish is EXPRESSED in
Washington that the Officials OF the In
ternal revenue bureau will take Governor
Roosevelts decision as an example and
follow II to the letter. The present COM
missioner Of internal revenue. Mr.. Wilson,
probably knows more about the steady and
persistent violations of the United States
laws and regulations governing the sale
and possession of oeomargarine than any
other man in existence. He knows that for
years HIS predecessors in officefhave con-
stantly accepted officially money payments
over and-over again in returRfor comBgs
missing prosecutions against ~Sef-confeSsed
violators of the laws and the regulations
of the Treasury Department, which the
United States Supreme Court has decided
are legal and binding. He knows that these
same individuals have been thus permitted
to continue their swindling imposition on
the public until their confidence in escaping
prosecution and accompanying publicity has
made them so bold that they openly laugh
at anything like law.
Rare Opportunity.
Aware that he is equipped with all this
knowledge, which his long years in the
service of the internal revenue bureau has
given him, and aware also that Mr.. Will
sons appointment was due to his own merit
and not like that of his predecessors to
powerful outside influences there is a very
deep feeling of hopefulness that he will put
stop to the policy of compromise as de-
scribed, and relieve the internal revenue bu-
reau from the present upsavory reputation
1t enjoys of constantly and substantially
proving the faisity of the adage that the
government can do no wrong by virtually
compounding crime under the subterfuge
of compromise.
RnXS I'M Cd. a n MIN