The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-07
CIRCUIT BILL UNDER FIRE
Debate in the House on the 0leo-
margarine Measure.
a Substitute onerea by Mr. wads-
uorfh-FutfIe Attempt 10 Reach an
Agreement as to the Time for TAX
ing Vote-FInaI Action May Pos
sibIy BE Taken This Evening

The House of Representatives assembled
at noon. and. in pursuance OF an arrange
ment agreed to BY the House yesterday,
the Grout oleomargarine bill, which was
the special order for yesterday. was taken
up
This is a Dill ITO make oleomargarine
and oIher imitation dairy products subject
to the Jaws Of the State or Territory into
which they are transported. and to change
TIE tax on eLeomargarine-
II provides that all articles lnown
as oleomargarine, butterine, imitation
butter. or imitation cheese. or any
substance In the semblence Of
butter or cheese not the usual
exclusively OF pure and unadalterated
milk or cream, transported into any State
or Territory, and remaining therein for
use consumption, sale, or storage there
N. shall, upon the arrival within the linz
its of such State or Territory. be subject
10 the operation and effect Of the laws of
such State or Territory enacted into the
exercise OF its police powers TO the same
extent and in the same manner as though
sHch articles or substances had been pro
duced in such State or Territory. and
shall not be exempt therefrom by reason
of being introduced therein in original
packages or otherwise; Provided, That
nothing in this act shall be construed to
permit any State 70 forbid the maaufac-
ture or sale of eleomargarine in sepaT-
ate ana distinct form and in such manner
as will advise the consumer Of its real
character free from celebration OF ingTe-
dent that causes it 10 look ike butter.
Sec . That after the passage OF this
act the tax upon oieomsTgari1e as pre-
- in fO4 2 sr{ Ea 1guTgTad
August ?, 1886, and estitIed An act defin-
ing butter also imposing tax upon and
regulating the manufacture, sale, imPor-
tation. and exportatisa Of oieomargarine,
shall be cae-fouEth o. one cent per pound
when the same is not colored IN Imitation
Of butter; but when colOred in imitation
OF butter the tax TO be paid b. the manu-
facture= shall be 10 CENTS per pound 10 be
levied and collected in accordance w4ta the
proyisions of said act
The bill was reported by the clerk, and
Mr.. Heary- of Connecticut asked that The
debate be limited TO one day and that gen
erai lesve 10 print be granted This was
agreed TO-
Mr.. Bailey of Texas asked Il any agree
ment had been reached as 10 when vote
would be taken The reply was that no
settlement had been reached. Mr. Grout
said that it was thought best TO let the
debate run for some time before attempt
ing 10 TEGGn al aS3SIl4GAAs -ASS1-E-
PAYNE and Wadsworth thought the gen
eral debate ought TO be limited 70 four
hours Mr&ss==Sat moved that general de-
bate be closed al 4:30- sfT. NadsWorJn
Objected Mt wadsworth asked unani-
nous consent that general debate he clos
cd at 4 o'clock, that the consideration OF
the bill be proceeded with under the i've
rninute rule TIL ; o'clock when q vote
should be taker. Mr. Crout objected
No conelgsiea was reached and Mr.
Henry took the floor TO open the debate,
explaining the provisions OF the measure
and the hearings which we're held Dy me
Committee on Agriculture during the last
session of Congress
Mr.. Henry said in substance that he was
OF the opinion that the people have ample
cause for alarm al the tremendous Illegal
groy{h Of the eieona arg2rine trafic II this
country during the past few years, which,
be said. now appears 10 have reaehed pro-
portions beyond the power OF the States 70
successfaiiy regulars or control. and that
the present Federal laws are apparently
altogether inadequate for the emergency
Mr.. Henry. whose voice is not strong
rad his remarks and confined himself very
closely TO his manuscript But despite this
the House gave close attention - me pro
eeedings-
Mr.. WadswoTth member Of the Com
mfttee on Agriculture, and author OF the
Substitute for the Circuit bill. took the floor.
He said that the minority Of the commit
tee wss as anxious TO prevent fraud as the
majority He read from the opinions OF
a large number OF chemists and food ex-
perts 10 show that oleomargarine IS
wholesome. nutritious, and palajabIe sub
stitute for butter
Among the authorities quoted by Mr..
yVadswortn were Prof. c. F. Chandler,
professor of chemistry at Columbia Col
Iere. New York; Prof George E Barker,
Of 4he University of Pennsylvania; Prof.
Henry. Morton. of the Stevens Institute Of
Technology. of New Jersey; Prof. s. ".
johnson, director Of the Connecticut Agri-
cultural Experiment Station; Prof. {. c.
Caldwell. of Cornell University; Prof.
c. A. GoesmaR, of Amherst Agricultural
College; Pref Charles P Williams. pro-
fessor in the Missouri State University
Mr.. Wadsworth Illustrated his speech
by exhibiting eight samples Of pure but
ter all of which, he said, was srtihcially
eoIored. He declared that 80 per cent OF
the butter of commerce vas coloTed 10
resemble the June shade of butter and 10
please the public.
He sai6 in substance in opposition to
the Grout bill that the only just com
plant against the existing oleomarGarlne
law consists IN the facility with which
the retail dealer, in selling from the ORR
gfnaI or wholesale package and substItut-
ing a new and unmarked yrapper, may
violate the law There is nothing IN the
Crout bill which would decrease the temp
tatfon OF increase the difficulty of such
violations.
Mr.. Henry yiel9ed control Of the bill 10
Mr.. Grout. who took the floor in advocacy
of the measure. He gave statistics 30 show
that one-eighth CT that which is consumed
by the public as butter is not butter
Mr. Grout charged that the enormous
profits of the "oleo'' makers were used as
a corruption fund in several States TO i'm
properly influence the officers OF the law.
MIR. Lorimer opposed the Grout bill and
sdvocated the Wadsworth bill Both were
in effect an amendment TO the Oleomar-
garint. law The Grout bill did not propose
10 throw any safeguards about the sale Of
oieomargarine It simply sought to tax
the industry out of existence. He denied
that deleterious substances are used IN
oieomargarine Mr.. GTout asked If it
were not fact that parafline is used in
cleo" Mr.. Lorimer denied It.
oTTEry CAUSE FOR DIVORCE