Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-05-01
FIGHTS OLE0
Defends Farming and Dairy Inter-
ests Against Bogus Butter Men.
4E GIVES FACTS AND FIGURES
A Strong Argument In Favor of Pro-
lection For Those Who Have Suf-
fered From the Operations of tho
OIeomargarine Trust.
Especial Correspondence.)

oISOtd'
! Especial Corrcspondence.)
Philadelphia, April Ex-senator Pen
rose has been widely complimented
upon his speech delivered in the United
States senate in favor of the bill in
| tended to protect the farmers of the
United States from the oleomargarine
! trust.
Senator Penrose prefaced his speech
! by declaring that no state in the union
was more interested in the proposed
legislation than Pennsylvania.
PENNSYLVANIA INTERESTS.
"The returns of the census of June
/, 1900" he said, show that the live
stock industry of Pennsylvania has
value of $109 $50, ,426. OF this the dairy
industry, counting simply cows kept
for milk of the age OF 2 years and
over. represents a sum of $29, ,141 ,561,
and the value of neat cattle, outside OF
cows kept for milk amounts to $13,-
| 921 $50. making a total for cows and
neat cattle in Pennsylvania of SAB ,063.-
| 191. The value of the production of
| these animals per year has not yet been
computed by the census department,
| but by comparing the number of dairy
COWS as given by the census OF 1890,
with the present census there has been
a gain of 1858 head, an increase OF
! II per cent. The amount OF butter
manufactured from these animals
amounts to about 10000, 900 pounds per
year, and the amount Of milk produced
| to about 44O, 900 900 gallons. There are
at present in Pennsylvania S56 cream
cries manufacturing butter. In the
plant of each of these there Is invest
ed an average of $4,000, which would
represent $2,56S,000 capital.
THE income to the people of my
state in single year from butter alone
amounts to between sixteen and eigh-
teen million dollars, and the milk pro-
duct, estimated at cents per gallon,
represents about $35. 900, 900 additional.
This immense sum of money is a
new product each year, adding this
much to the actual wealth of the state
annually, and has the advantage of be-
! ing distributed throughout all of the
| farm homes of the commonwealth, go
| ing to the support of more than 1000,
| coo people who are engaged in agricul-
ture, enabling them to maintain them
selves in comparative comfort.
| "Oleomargarine can be manufactured
| at from to 8 cents per pound de-
pending upon the quality and fiuctua-
tions in the price of the materials that
compose it. With the present govern
ment tax of cents added, the total
! cost of the manufacture is from 10 to
II cents per pound.
This makes it possible for the oleo-
margarine manufacturer to place his
| product upon the market at price be-
low the cost price of butter. The
inevitable consequence will be to drive
out the butter-making industry"
FAVORED The TAX.
senator Penrose said the tax of 10
cents per pound would raise the cost
price of oleomargarine to from II to
| 10 cents pound, which is about the
cost of manufacturing a good article of
butter. The effect would be to protect
the farmer. Manufacturers have been
protected for many years and the far
mer should now be protected.
There is another reason why oleo-
margarine should be taxed. Instead
of oleo being marked and sold as such
it is in many cases colored in imitation
of butter and sold as butter. This is a
| fraud upon the public as we'll as a
menace to a very important branch of
the agricultural industry.
THE imposition of a 10 cent tax to
| be collected before the article is per-
mitted to be exposed for sale" said
Senator Penrose, will remove in a
great degree the temptation to commit
| this fraud, and will be to that extent
in the interest of public morals"
I'VE are not ready to substitute the
oleomargarine factory for the butter
| industry in the state of Pennsylvania
1--WE are not willing that the profits
of our domestic animals shall be taken
away from their legitimate sources
and given to select syndicate of capi
| talists, in order that they may become
inordinately rich.
"The commissioner of internal reve
nue. reports for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1899, that there were, in
round numbers, 91,000,000 pounds OF
oleo manufactured in the United
States, of which eleven and one-hali
million pounds were sold in Pennsyl
vania. In the manufacture of this i'm
mense amount only LIZ per cent. OF
the material used was butter.
Against this imposition the honest
farmer and dairyman should be pro
| tected.
1T may be well to remember that
the farmers of the country are among
our very best citizens, and there is nc
class that is more deserving of the
considerate care of our lawmakini
| bodies.
'"rhe farmers have always favored
government protection where protec
ton is needed, and now that they
need protection themselves it is only