The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-10

When Congress shall reconvene on De
cemrer 3, the first matter of legislation
which Will engage the attention of the
. House of Representatives will be the
Grout Oleomargarine bill and the Wads-
worth substitute therefor. which, it is
claimed by the dairy interests, is Cor the
protection of the public against fraud and
impure food, and which. the oleomarga-
rine interests claim. is directed as a
deathblow against their industry The
Grout bill is the special order and will be
called up for consideration directly after
the reading Of the journal, This is in pur-
suance of rule reported by Mr.. DalzelI
from the Committee on Rules, on June
last. On that date Mr.. DaIzell sent 10 the
clerks desk the following report;
The Committee on Rules. to which was
referred House resolution zS5, report thai
they have had the same under considera-
ton and report the following as a substi-
tute therefor: On December 6. immedi-
ately after the reading of the journal. Ii
shall be in order to consider in the House
as in Committee of the Whole, House bill
3717. making oleomargariRe and other
imitation dairy products subject TO the
laws of the State or Territory into which
they are transferred anu 70 SL-S1isSc Inc
tax on oleomargarine
When the previous question had been
ordered Mr. DalzeIl, addressing the Speak
er, said that it was a bill in which great
deal OF interest had been manifested IN
the House, and. as members knew, cEe
that ought 10 have ample time for con
sheraton At that time the resolution
of the House fixing June at o'clock for
adjournment was pending in the Senate
rarS III
which the House had not finally acted
In supporting the rule Mr. Grout made
some sensational charges about an oleo-
margarine corruption fund, saying IN
part:
The bill, as gentlemen all unders. and,
is one looking 10 the correction OF a great
fraud a monstrous fraud, in the sale OF a
food product-the greatest fraud in the
sale Of any single product that the world
ever saw Eighty-three million pounds
of eIsomargarine were uaaufac .ured last
year That would amount to about $40
GG0. 600 as sold 10 the people OF this coun-
try: and from So coo, coo TO S13, 100000 or
that amount was profit between the cost
10 the manufacturer and the consumer
These enormous profits are made posi-
bic by existing law passed in 1885 That
law allows it to be coIOred like butter,
and the result is it is sold as butter
Armour & Co. are On record as saying
that the cost Of il, including the Z-cent
tax. is not exceeding I cents per pound.
1t is Sid TO the consumer as butter, all
the way from 20 to 80 cents a pound.
profit OF over 2I0 per cent 20 be divided
between the manufacturers and these
who palm il off as butter-a total of
81. eco Gee or S13, Geo. coo. The profits are
so large that the temptation IS simply
irresistible to sell this product for but
ter Notwithstanding State laws. and not
withstanding United States laws, such as
they are. which look feebiy 70 the pre-
ventiCn of this fraud
The Lords Prayer says Lead US not
into temptation But who fails to see
that this 200 per cent is a terrible temp
taion2 And the law as it now stands Is
responsible for II. What is the cure?
Take away the temptation Put tax OF
10 cents per pound on all this stuff that
is cCICred, and It VIII take away S8.000,
goo annually of the temptation
AS II is ROW. this $12, 0G0,C00 profit
creates { vast corruption fund, by means
CT which prosecuting officers, food Inspec-
tors, and others charged with the execu-
ton of the laws are turned aside from
their duties, and It is found impossible
to enforce the laws against selling 1t for
butter. As against this corruption fund
the laws are powerIess.
The Grout bill was introduced in the
House directly after the assembling OF
the Fifty-sixth Congress. and was re-
feTred to the Committee on Agriculture.
There 1t came near meeting death On
this subject Mr.. Tawney, one Of the
strong advocates of butter, said:
81 want to say that the interest mani
tested in the House is but a faint refiec-
ton of that interest which has been mani
Tested for more than six months through
out the entire country by the farmers OF
the United States who have petitiOned this
House for the passage OF the Grout bill.
This bill was introduced in the House last
December. Had rot its consideration in the
Committee on agriculture and its passage
in the House been resisted from the begin
ming of the session Of Congress, it would
have become law before now Only those
members Of the House who were Intimately
associated with those who have worked for
the passage of the bill or for favorable re-
port in the committee have any conception
of the fierce opposition which We have met
on every hand"
Bitter Opposition.
Tt is the opinion of men who have spent
years at the Capitol that the Grout bill
stands but slight chance Of passage in
this Congress, and Mr. Grout, the most ar
dent and jealous supporter of the ideas en-
bodied in the bill, viii not be member
OF the Fifty-seventh Congress, he not hav-
ing obtained q denomination
There is very bitter hostility to the pro-
posed legislation. which opposition in the