The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-04
STRONG PROTEST BY VEST
Holds That Congress Invades Power
of the States.
SPOoNER MAKES THE PRINCIPAL SPEECH
He Claims That Congress Has Right to Levy
ajax Not Merely For Revenue But
For the General Public
Welfare.
Welfare.
(By the Associted Press.)

Washington, April 3.-At the conclus-
ion of lively debate today, the Senate
passed the so-called Oleomargarine Bill
by vote of 80 to 81.
The discussion was largely in the ma
ture of reinforcement of previous ar
guments on both sides.
The measure as passed by the Senate
differs i'll some respects from that
passed by the House of Representatives.
1t provides that oleomargarine and kim
dred products shall be subject to all the
laws and regulations of any State or
Territory or the District of Columbia,
into which they are transported, wheth-
er in original packages or otherwise:
that any person who sells oleomargarine
and furnishes it for the use of others,
except to his own family who shall mix
with it any artificial coloration that
causes it to look like butter shall be
held to De a manufacturer and shall be
subject TO the tax provided by existing
law that upon oleomargarine colored so
as to resemble butter tax of ten cents
pound shall be levied but upon oIeo-
margarine not colored the tax shall be
one-fourth of one cent per pound; that
upon adulterated butter a tax of ten
cents a pound shall be levied, and upon
all process or renovated butter the tax
shall be one-fourth of one cent per
pound. The manufacturers of process or
renovated or adulteTated butter shall
pay an annual tax of 5000, the whole
sale dealers shall pay tax of $3.50 and
the retail dealers q tax of SIS per an
mum.
The measure provides regulatio for
the collection of the tax and prescribes
minuteN how the various products are
to be prepared for market
Mr.. Rawlins, of Utah, maintained that
Congress had no authority to regulate
the police powers within the States In
opposing the measure. Mr.. Teller ad-
mitted that it would be regarded by the
courts as a proper revenue measure but
he regarded it as a tax upon consump-
tion.
Mr. Foraker, of Ohio conceded that
oleomargarine was a wholesome article
OF food, although he confessed that prior
to the pending debate his prejudices had
bee nagainst the product,
Mr. Penrose, of Pennsylvania, advo-
Gated the bill.
Mr.. Carmack of Tennessee, who ex-
planned that the dairy interests of his
State were greater even than the cotton
seed oil industry, nevertheless regarded
the bill as vicious legislation.
Mr.. SpoOner. who made the principal
speech, maintained that Congress had
the power, which it frequently had ex-
ercised to levy a tax upon an article not
merely for revenue but for the general
public welfare
Mr.. Money closed the general debate
in q reply to Mr. Snooner.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Harris,
of Kansas, was adopted A to 26, placing
tax Of ten cents a pound upon adul-
terated butter and ne-quarter Of one
cent pound upon process or renovated
bLtter, and providing regulations for the
collection Of the taxes.
In an earnest protest against the
measure. Mr.. Vest of Missouri. held that
Congress in enacting the bill was in
vading the powers of the States.
Mr.. Vest characterized the proposed
law as simply parliamentary assassina-
tion of one industry by another. Some
amendments suggested by Mr.. Foraker
were adopted intended to remedy the
objection that the measure placed every
family in the land under the espionage
of government officers and also to pro-
hibit the use of any artificial coloring in
the manufacture of oleomargarine.
Mr. Scott, of West Virginia, moved to
recommit the measure to the committee,
holding that 1t was unsatisfactory to
many Senators and ought to be perfect
ed The motion was defeated 35 to 81.
An amendment offered bv Mr.. Harris
was agreed to, providing that wholesale
dealers who vend Eo other oleomargar-
inc or butterine except thatupon which
a tax Of one fourth of cent Is laid
shall pay $780, and retailers of the same
5000.
Mr. Money offered en- behalf of the
minority of the Committea on Agricul~
ture a substitute for the bill. The sub
The Bill as amended then was passed
80 to 81 the detailed vote being as fol-
lows:
Yeas-Allison, Burnham. Burrows
Burton, ClaDp, Cockeren, CulloM. De-
hoe, Dietrich, Dillingham;, Fairbanks
Foraker. Foster (Was shington), Frye.
GalIinger. Gamble. Hale, Hanna, Hans
brough. Harris. Hawley Keap. Kearns,
Kittredge, Lodge, MrComas. McCumber,
Mcmillan. Mason. MillaTI. Mitchell. Nell
son, Penrose, Perkins, Plat (coanecti