Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-25
MEASURE TOPROTECT BUTTER
ole~omargerine Bill is ohampioned BY Sen
stOr Proctor in Upper House.
PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE IS OUTLINED
Primary object to Defend Honest Pro-
duct Asainst Fraud and Pre-
vent Practice Of Further
Deception.

WASHINGTON. March 24-Copsjderation
was begun by the senate today of what IA
popularity known as the oleomargariue bill.
The measure places a tax OF 10 cents a
pound on oleomargarine colored in imita-
tion Of butter and reduces the present tar
OF 2 cents per pound on oleomargarine to
4 OF l cent a pound in it's uncolored form.
Mr.. Proctor, OF Vermont, chairman OF the
committee on agriculture, made the opening
statement in support OF the measure. He
concluded with the observation that the
pending bill was "a measure to protect an
honest product against a fraud"
A few bills OF minor Importance were
passed before the oleomargarine bill was
taken up.
Mr.. Hale OF Maine offered a resolution.
which was adopted. directing the commits
sion on fisheries to inquire into the destruc-
tion by dynamite Of sea FISH along the east.
ern coast Of the United States and to report
by bill or otherwise a remedy for the
trouble.
Wants List of Claims.
BY a resolution of Mr.. Lodge Of Massa-
chusetts, which was adopted, the attorney
general was directed to transmit to the
senate a list OF the claims he is defending
before the Spanish claims commission, to-
gether with particulars as to each claim
and the gross amount OF all claims.
Mr.. Dubois OF Idaho presented a petition
from the American chamber OF
of Manila saying It was a significant fact"
that this was the second petition from that
organization urging that the restrictions
of Chinese cOolie labor be removed. Mr..
Dubois added that the testimony before
the Philippine committee indicated that
The Philippine islands could not be developed
without Chinese labor.
Mr.. Hoar Of Massachusetts, inquired II
the petitioners were American citizens.
Mr.. Dubois replied that he understood
they we're.
Mr.. Hoar pointed out that they were
under Its rules and they could not accept
petitions from people OF a foreign power. The
acceptance Of the memorial seemed to him
an admission on the part Of the senate that
the United States was not at war in the
Philippines. The memorial was referred to
the Philippine committee.
The river and harbor bill was received
from the house and referred to the COM
mittee on commerce. Mr.. Frye. chairman
OF that committee, gave notice that hear
ings on that bill would be given to senators
in four days, beginning tomorrow, and that
there would be no further hearings.
Reimburse BruIe sIoux.
Bills were passed as follows:
Authorizing the secretary OF war to nego-
tiate with John T. Dolan Of Portland, Ore,
for purchase OF the original manuscript
copy Of order book Of General Arthur
Saint Clair" to reimburse certain Lower
Brule Sioux Indians OF South Dakota for
the property destroyed; appropriating 1925.
600 for a marine hospital at Pittsburg, Pa. I;
providing that the statutes OF limitations
of. the several states shall apply as a de-
Tense to actions brought in any courts for
the recovery OF lands patented under the
treaty Of May ~. 1854, between the United
States and1th6 Shawnee tribe OF Indians.
Mr.. Proctor. resuming discussion Of the
oleomargarine bill, said the evidence showed
that the bulk OF the oleomargarine manu-
featured reaches the consumer as pure
butter. One Of the objects of the bill was
to prevent this deception and to insure
the detection OF any frauds attempted on
the consumers Of butter.
In response to an inquiry by Mr.. West,
Mr.. Proctor said he believed congress had
ample authority to legislate on the subject
OF fraudulent food products, whether they
were subjects Of Interstate or not.
The majority and minority reports on the
bill were read in full. and the senate, then,
at 4;10, went into executive session, and
at 4:25 adjourned.