Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-10
1t is Called for by Gen. erosvenor's
Resolution.
MANUFACTURE OF OLEOMARGARINI
Representative of the Pure Food
Interests Talks.
SOME FACTS SET FORTH

Of the internal revenue bureau. Mr.. Gros-
venor was one of those who voted last Tues
day that information relating to the manu-
facture of oleomargarine could not be sup
piled without violating law
or course, said Mr.. Charles Y. Knight,
who Is in Washington representing the pure
food and dairy interests, the friends of the
Grout bill are delighted that the represen-
tative of the majority of the ways and
means committee has come around and ac-
cepted the views of the majority of the
House IN regard to the meaning of the stat
ute regulating the collectors and inspectors
of internal revenue, and even has gone them
one better II. the Introduction of this resolu-
ton, because this man McGinnis is an in
spector VINO makes known the operations
style OF work or apparatus of any manufac-
turer or producer visited by him in the dis
charge of his official duties provided
by section 3l6f of the Revised Statutes.
The Substantial Facts.
ut is scarcely necessary, however, to ask
the Secretary of the Treasury for this in
formation, as it is pretty generally public
property now. The facts substantially are:
Some weeks ago Mr.. Tawney received let
ter from reputable and responsible en-
pioye of fifteen years standing in the stock
yards, asserting that all kinds of cheap and
refuse fats Were being used in the man
ufacture of oleomargarine. This letter was
was not alleged that these fats were detri-
mental to health, as even horse oil may be
heaithfui and notwithstanding the fact that
the internal revenue department is only
charged with the task of confiscatng any
oleomargartne containing ingredients of a
deleterious character, Inspector McGnnis
was Immediately dispatched to the stock
yards in Chicago to find evidence with
which to disprove this story contained in
the letter to Mr. TaWney.
1t Is needless to- say that Mr.. McGinnis
report will be of the most complimentary
character to the manufacturers Of oleomar-
garine. He undoubtedly went through all
the departments that are provided for pub
lie inspection. saw the fats that were clean
and appetizlng, did not see the use of
Stearin or anything else deleterouS (al-
though the department reports will show
the use of Stearin, and the official chemists
of New York states department of agricul-
ture has found as high as IL per cent par
affin, a mineral product, in oleOmargarine),
and he has doubtless wound up his report
with a glowing description of the virtues of
oleomargarine and warm recommendation
for it.
MI Grosvenor's resolution will bring all
this information officially before Congress
and the public, and millions of copies of
pamphlets containing this remarkable re-
port of what Mr.. McGnnis couldn't find
VIII be printed and distributed to the con-
flding consumers of this country as an adj
vertisement of an article which they have
consumed freely during the past twenty
years UNKNOWN 10 1nt mSeINeS. MI. Nc
Ginnis inability to discover any evidence to
subStantiate the charges made in the letter
to Mr.. Tawney may well be understood
when the proverbial blindness of the aver
age Chicago inspector of the internal rev
enue department IS known.
Purchased OIeO for Butter.
II happened to be in Chicago last week
when Mr.. McGinnis was making that search
for facts to disprove these statements. and
while he Tins enp9pe1 I
ing at butter prices from stores within two
or three blocks of his office samples pur-
porting to be butter, but which have now
in my possession, and which have proven to
be oleomarSarine, and all the sellers of
which sold the same to me openly in viola
ton of the internal revenue laws and
rulings of the commissioner of internal rev.
enue, whose interests Mr.. McGinnis is sup
posed to look after personally in Chicago.
If Mr. McGinnis cannot see that many
establishments in Chicago are openly vio-
lating the internal revenue laws regarding
the sale of oleomargarine every day in the
year, as the most of them have for ten
years past. then it is not at all surprising
that he failed to find at the stock yards op-
erations as are reported to Mr.. Tawney in
this letter, which in themselves are not
charged to be violations of the law, because
the maker of oleomargarine is not restricted
to the use of any kind of fat. He may use
horse oil, skunk grease or anything else he
chooses, so long as it Is not deleterous TO
health.
''Of course we do not like to reflect dis
credit upon the information Mr.. McGinnis
has compiled but in connection with this
letter which Mr.. Tawney received there Is
a very interesting story Mr.. Tawney took
the letter into the committee room of in
suiar affairs and read it to Chairman Coo
per as matter Of interest in the present
controversy. When he came to the sigma
ture he could not quite make it out where
upon a gentleman who was present and
who had heard the letter read spelled and
pronounced the properly without
looking al the sheet.
do you know this MANI asked Mr..
Tawney.
Il ought to- he replied. I worked close
to him Cor several years at the stock wards
Then is what he writes true?'
1T is true so far as 1t goes was the an
swer Of the gentleman, who is Mr. Hugh
Reed, at present holding an appointment as
public printing office upon the recommend
alton of Mr.. Cooper, who fully vouches for
his trustWOrthineSs.
What Mr.. Reed Saw,
Last night called upon Mr.. Reed at the
public printing office.
is it true Mr.. Reed asked, that all
kinds of fats are used in Chicago to make
oleo oil, which is made into oleomargarine?
81 know positively that this is true re-
piled Mr.. Reed. I was one Of the few who
in workmen's clothes was permitted to go
through some of the establishments where
oleo i'll is made in that city. There was
one place, at the corner of Archer avenue
and - street (he gave its name), where
the scraps from the restaurants and hotels
of Chicago were taken by their ten col
ectors with wagons for the purpose every
day. 1 have been right in this place and
seen these scraps Of fat put through the
processes that bring them finally into the
bags in the presses where the oil is pressed
out Of them. The scraps from these restau-
rants and hotels are divided into two
classes-one from which the oleo oil is made,
the other going INTO soap. Not only that,
but this same establishment purchased the
fat from the horse butchery out on the
Brighton road, which fat was used in the
same manner as the scraps from the hotels
and restaurants. And what saw with my
own eyes at this place is well known to the
employees and worklngmen in that neigh
borhood, and the subject Of common dis
cussion throughoutethate locality. I have
a close relative employed in one of these
concerns right now. and he knows all about
the business from a. to e.
DIR. Sweinetz Of the, Agricultural De-
partment, in his visit to a factory which
was several years ago located in PhiIa-
delphia, found the same condition of af-
fairs. Oleo oil was being made from a pile
OF fat scraps collected from the hotels,
restaurants and butcher shops, which pile
gave out such an Odor that If wac sioken-