The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-20
FOR The GR|)UI BILL
Long VIII Not Vote, and
States His Reasons Why.
MEETING AT SEDGWICK
AT Which the 0Ieo and Butter
Problem Is Discussed.

sedgwick, Kan, Sept 19.-Sedgwick has
furnished no exception to the rule Of
great crowds and high enthusiasm which
have characterized all the meetings held
by Congressman Chester l. Long in the
present campaign. Mr.. Long addressed
an interested audience here tonight,
taking as his special topic the Grout bill,
now before congress. which seeks to
make 1t interesting for the manufactur-
ers Of oleomargarine. 1t is Mr.. Long s
position there are two sides TO the oleo
question, and that the Big Seventh with
its enormous livestock interests, is on the
other side. Mr.. Long opposes the bill
and declares that he will vote against
it. In his speech here tonight he stated
his reasons for opposing it, as follows:
By speciol orders of the house of rep
resentatives, what is known as the Grout
bill will be considered on the 9Th Of De-
cember next. Whatever may be the re-
suit of the election in this district, If L
am alive and well, a opportunity will
be given me to vote on the measure. /
shall do So
It has not been my custom to declare
in advance my position on any nan-po-
litical question. but as there is consider
able interest in this district on this bill,
and as a determined effort has been
made TO compel me to pledge myself for
the bill, which I have declined to do,
1 will briefly state my position on the
measure.
Oleomargarine is taxed under the pres
en- law at two cents per pound. The
Grount bill proposes to tax uncolored
oleomargarine IA of cent and colored
oleomargarine at 10 cents per pound. It
is well known that there is no demand
foruncol ored oleomargarine, and the sole
question is. what will be the effect on
the manufacture of oleomargarine if the
tax is increased from to 10 cents per
pound?
Mr.. Wilson, the commissioner Of in
tetrnal revenue, in his statement to the
committee on agriculture that reported
the bill, said: 81 should regard the tax
Of 10 cents a pound on colored oleomar-
garine as prohibitive. I do not think the
manufacturers can do much with it with
a tax of that amount"
Mr. Adames, pure food commissioner
of the state of wisconsin, testifying be-
fore the committee. said: There is no
use beating about the bush in this mat
ter. We want to pass this law and
drive the oleomargarine manufacturers
out of the business"
This being the purpose of the legisla-
ton, it is only necessary to consider
the right or wrong of such a procedure
and the effect that it will have upon
certain kinds of business. Oleomargarine
is a perfectly pure and wholesome article
of food. There is no claim that 1t con-
tains any ingredients that make the pro-
duct injurious to health.
The friends of the bill ask the general
government to use its taxing-power to
build up one industry in this country at
the expense of another. The creameries
of the country claim that the manufact-
urers of oleomargarine are competitors
in business, and that the sale of oleo-
margarine Injuries the sale Of butter.
They ask the government to tax oleo-
margarine out of existence and destroy
their competitor. I do not believe in the
wisdom or justice Of such a procedure
and such a course should not be taken
unless the product is injurious to health.
What would be the effect of the stop
ping of the manufacture of oleomar-
garine on the hog and cattle interests
of the country?
The Texas Cattle Raisers' Association
petidoned congress against the passage
of this bill, using the following lang
uage: che enactment of such laws would
completely destroy a business which has
been recognized by law, which now fur
nishes a large annual revenue to the gov
eminent 81, 95s, 61s in 1892 which provides
employment for thousands of men, and
in which citizens of the United States
have invested fortunes. It would seri-
ously affect the cattle industry, as the
manufacturers Of oleomargarine have
created a demand for cleo oil. made
from the choice fats of the beef at
price at least s. per animal greater
than 1t would be worth If it had to be
used. as before the advent OF oleomarga-
rine. for tallow, thereby entailing loss
on the producers of millions of dollars
reges of the producers OF beef cattle
should be as well respected as those of
others; and as they are the benefciaries
in the manufacture OF this wholesome
article of food they should not be bur-
dened with unnecessary special taxes or
needles srestrictions in the manufacture
OF this product"
A similar resolution was adopted and
presented by the National Livestock as
ISOLATION. comprisisg ninety different
livestock associations OF the country.
John c. Mccoy, member Of the Kan
sas City Livestock Exchange, a farmer
and stock raiser, in his testoimony before
the committee. said:
at is a well known fact that the prin-
cipal ingredients OF oleomargarine are
the caul fat Of the beef steer and the
leaf lard Of the hog. pure cream. milk
and butter. cottonseed oil. salt and coli
oring matter. In each beef steer there
is an average % 81 pounds OF caul fat
from which the clio oil is extracted. and
~@1ssxs,