Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-04
THE "oLEo" DISCUSSION.


Some Of oIir contemporaries appear
TO be laborlng under a mlsapprehension
concerning the discussion In Congress
over the oleomargarine bill. 1t Is stat
ed that several noted national legsla-
tors who are In favor Of honest bust
ness methods are vigorously support
Ing the bill The names OF some OF It's
principal opponents are mentioned, and
II is asserted that their arguments are
mot particularly credltabe to their
good sense, or else TO their sincerity"
II is further stated that they are not
willing TO let the article take It's
chances on It's merits, but demand that
II shall be permitted 70 appear In the
market as butter"
While It Is true that quite number
Of prominent men are advocating the
BILL some as It was presented in the
House and others that passed by the
Senate, and that they may be justified
In their own minds in supporting It, the
opponents of the measure exhibit at
least equal sincerity. and, so far as We
have been able to discover. a much bet
ter acquaintance was the subject than
appears in the arguments Of its adyo-
Gates II Is not true that the opponents
OF the original bill demand that oleo-
margarine shall be permitted to app
pear in the market as butter" on the
contrary, they favor a substitute bill
introduced by Mr. Wadsworth the sub
stance of which has already been pub
lished In the Deseret News
The measure provides for a special
tax on the manufacture and sale OF
oieomargarine. 5000 per annum 10 be
paid by manufacturers $3.50 by whole
sale dealers and SiS BY retail dealers.
II requires oleomargarlne to be put up
for sale in packages Of one or two
pounds only. in wrappers, marked
stamped and branded with the word
"Oleomargarine; boxes containing a
number OF such packages must also be
80 marked with an internal revenue
stamp affixed; and with such other
marks and brands as may be approved
by the Secretary Of the Treasury.
Dealers may sell only the original
packages and from the original boxes,
under a penalty OF not less than slOO
nor more than $500 and Imprisonment
from thirty days TO six months for the
FIRST offense. with greatly increased
penalties for additional ofienses
It will be seen from the foregoing
that there IS no desire on the part OF
the opponents Of the original bill to
pass OF anything as butter which is
not the genuine article But they DO
not wish to see a legitimate industry
destroyed or crippled The manufac-
ture Of oleomargarine from tallow has
become OF great proportions
and value. The stocNmen OF
the country are interested ia &, as
well as the companies engaged IN
M work. The carrot-coloring. which
Is an invention adopted by butier-mak-
ers as well az the manufactures OF oleo.
margarine Is perfectly harmless. aud
simply gives a better appearance to
both articles. n It is wrong for the
latter named people 10 use Co. it is
equally 80 for the former.
The provisions OF the original bin are
IN effect almost prohIbtory " the man
ufacture of oleomargahne. am article
which many consumers prefer to the
ordinary Kind Of butter that Is placed
upon the market There De- no ac.
rountng for taste" and people who
want ii ought to be able 90 get &c at
reasonable prices Fraud however
ought not To be permitted The public
should pe protected against &C.. and
there - re desire on the part of the
opponents OF the original measure 10
encourage fraud OF DO injury TO any
pne.
il Is very easy to find fault. lut news
papers as well as individuals should
not attack a measure, or its promoters.
before understanding wha' DO Is and
why q is advocated The Wadsworth
substitute is AN right and 81 adequate
for the purposes Intended 10 It's presen-
tation.