The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-08
'OLEO' LEGISLATION
McCleary and Tawney Not at Log
gerheads.
WHEREIN THEIR BILLS DIFFER
Havney's Measure Removes Entirely
the Tax on UncOlored Oleo-
margarine.

Fron, TIE Journal Bureau. Room Is, Post
Buisdtngs Washington.
Washington, Jan. 8.--A report has been
circulated that Representatives TaWney
and McCleary are at loggerheads over
oleomargerin legislation, but such Is not
the case. Both Of these gentlemen repre-
sent districts having large dairy inter-
ests and both have uniformly endeavored
to protect the interests Of their const1tu-
ents. Both have for several congresses
been active in promoting measures lot
the proper regulation of the manufacture
and sale of oleomargarine. In the n1ty-
sixth congress both were active ana IN
duential in securing the passage OF Inc
Circuit bill through the house, both taxing
part in the debate on the bill, ana ootn'
OF course, voting for the bill
Last winter 1t was known that MT.
Grout would not be a member of the ffty-
seventh congress. When 1t became evil
dent that the Grout bill would not pass
the senate, both Mr.. McCleary and Mr..
TaWney were asked by persons interested
in dairy industries to reintroduce the
Grout bill at this session and both prom
tsed to do SO. Both have conpiiea WIN
those requests, Mr.. McCleary reintroduc-
ing the Grout bill word for word and Mr.
Tawney introducing that bill somewhat
modified.
The present law, which has been on the
statute book for about fifteen years, places
tax of two cents per pound on oleo-
margarine, whether colored in imitation
of butter or not That law has been
grossly evaded, and the efforts OF the
dairy interests for several years have
been to so amend the law as to secure Tor
buttermakers the protection which the
law of 1886 was intended to give them
After considering the matter from all
points, the best judgment of the people
interested In dairies was embodied in the
MT fiftV-StXtn
congress by w. w. Grout OF Ver-
mont. That bill met the approval Of
the dairy interests in all parts OF tine
country and thousands upon thousands
of requests for it's enactment, word Tor
word. were sent to members OF con-
gress. a-.... ..5s: -"
The Grout bill consisted of two sections.
The first made oleomargarine and other
limitation dairy products subject to the
laws of the state or territory into which
they are transported. even when intro
duced therein in "the original packages"
the purpose being to secure to each state
and territory the right to control the traf-
&c in oleomargarine within it's boundaries
Notwithstanding the supreme court deci-
sion as to goods carried from one state
into another in 1.-The original packages
Section two increased the federal tax on
oleomargarine colored> to initiate butter
from two cents to ten cents per pound,
Out reduced the TAX Oh uuCOlOFeu OloO-
margarine from cents to one-fourth Of
one cent per pound. This merely nominal
tax on the uncolored product was re-
tanned for two reasons-to retain in the
hands of the government the regulation
Of the entire oleomargarine product and
to raise sufficient revenue therefrOm to
cover the expenses incurred by the super
vision.
It is in this second section that the bills
introduced by Mr.. McCleary and Mr..
Tawney differ. Mr.. McCleary's bill, as
has been said, follows the Grout bill word
for word. Mr.. Tawney's bill follows the
Grout bill except that 1t removes en-
tirely the tax on uncolored oleomargarine.
Each of the gentlemen believes that his
Is the better bill for the dairy interests.
Either bill will readily pass the house
and one will pass the senate as readily as
the other. Messrs. Tawney and McCleary
will probably both appear before the COM
mittee on agriculture in support of their
respective views. AS the committee pro-
poses to devote a certain time to "hear-
angs'' on the proposed legislation, each
can be heard without causing any delay.
Both gentlemen will endeavor to secure
an early and favorable report on a bill
adequately protecting the dairy interests,
and both will heartily and Loyalty support
the bill which the committee sees fit to
report. Between Messrs. Tawney and Nc
Cleary there is simply the honorable and
generous rivalry of two men devoted to
serving the public interests.
49, -W.|W. Jermane.