The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-02
RIDING TO A FALL.
The oleomargarine Bill Dangerous
 Precedent.

Chicago Tribune (Rep.)
 Last Thursday the House of Represen- tatives took up and disposed of the Sen ate amendment to the oleomargarine bill. The discussion was enliveped by the sprightly and pungent remarks of Repre, sentative Ham of this State. The bill has no friend in him. As he observed to Pennsylvania member who comes rom a large dairy district and is warm sup porter of the bill, the gentleman who wishes to strike down one industry be- cause it does not live In his district, ana who wishes to sustain another industry which lives in somebody else dis,r'cs, , violates every principle Of respectaoie or representative government.
 Mir Mann entered the field of prophecy. He told the friends of the bill it's pas sage would be barren victory Tor them. Said he:
 Tt will be held by the courts that 1t Is beyond the province of Congress to say that in the use of the taxing power we can tax oleomargarine whicn contains beef fat higher rate than we tax o!eo- margarine which contains cotton seed oil or hog fat. They will say that 1t Is be- yond the power of Conacess to levy a higher tax upon oleomargarine that IS green than upon oleOmargarine whicn IS of Congress to levy higher tax upon oleomargarine which contains an addi- tional harmless element. giving 1t color
 Thereupon Representative Ray or New York announced that he, too. was prophet, and went on to say that the law. if contested, will be held constitutional in every respect. How can en uninspired man decide when prophets disagree! Ihe ordinary mortal, while unable to read the future, knows the courts have a growing dislike for discriminations. It Is a dis crimination to tax uncolored oleomarga. rine d small fraction of a cent pound and to tax the same article when coiored yellow with harmless ingredient.which
 g- Na
 If tine courts hold this legislation con- stitutional Congress can do anything IL pleases in the way Of interfering with the food of the people. It can select one or more articles of food or drink and. through the use or abuse of the taxing power. put them out of the reach or the people. States have attempted. to some extent. to enact sumptuary iegisiation. !. has not hitherto been considered tnat suci legislation was within the province oi Congress. but the sphere of It's action IS enlarging. for here 1t is providing that the people shall not eat certain fats of a certain color. The manufacturer Of anl- mai fats must not color them yellow. but not yellow. That color Is tabooed- by virtue of the taxing power.
 The Tribune has had occasion to say before this that dangerous precedent IS set when the taxing power is used m the manner Congress proposes to use 1t now. The action of Congress, if sanctioned by the courts, will be followed up by further
 vicious legislation in the direction o striking down one domestic industry for the real or fancied benefit of another do- nestle industry. Nor is this the worst of 1t. If Congress once gets craze for regulating the manners. customs and hab its of the people of the different States for laying down rules to them under the taxing power as to what they shall not eat. drink, or wear-where will the regu- lators stop? The oleomargarine manu- lecturers are not to he allowed to color their product yellow. Why not forbid wo men to "bionde" their hair and compete unfairly with other women to whom na- ture has given yellow locks?