Evening star., 1902-02-12
DEBATE WAS BREEZY
DISCUSSING THE oLEoMAR-
.GARINE BILL.
Amendments Adopted Obnoxious to
the Friendsstof tie Measure-Bur-
1esque Amendments Offered.

1t became evident yesterday during the
consideration of the oleomargarine bill in
the House that when that measure was
brought to vote 1t aSould not have ma
jority of 106. as at Ithe last session, al
though there was no doubt Of its passage.
Several amendments were added to the bill,
much to the dislike Of the friends Of that
measure, one providing that nothing in the
act should be construed to prevent the
manufacture and sale of oelomargarine In
any state for consumption entirely within
such state, and the other to provide for the
inspection and branding of renovated or
process butter. The latter amendment
was especially obnoxious to the friends of
the measure, and when the bill was re-
ported to the House a separate vote was de-
manded on it. The vote was pending when
the House adjourned. Several committee
amendments adopted changed the phrase
ology OF the bill, the most important being
that making the 10-cent tax apply to oleo-
margarine made in imitation Of butter "of
any shade of yellow" Considerable feeling
was injected into the proceedings toward
the close of the session
section 3 was recast somewhat from the
form originally proposed by the committee,
out the substance Of the section taxing col
ored oleomargarine 10 cents per pound and
reducing the tax on uncolored oleOmarga-
rine from to one-quarter of cent per
pound was retained.
A Burlesque Amendment.
Mr.. Burleson (Tex.) created a great deal
Of merriment by offering substitute for
section ., In the language Of that section,
to impose tax of 10 cents per pound on
manufactured ice sold in imitation Of the
natural product except where sold in blocks
or one and two pounds and stamped "coun-
terfett Ice" Mr.. Burleson, amid much
LAUGHTER declared that his substitute dem
onstrated the rank absurdity and injustice
OF the selfish. designing and ambitious
statesmen from Minnesota"
Ihe same vicious principle. he said. un-
derlay both propositions. His amendment
was ruled out on point of order, as was
one offered by Mr.. Grosvenor to place
tax or 10 cents per pound on syrupS In imi
tation of maple syrup.
Mr Alien (ky) proposed to test the good
faith OF the friends of the bill by offering
an amendment to provide for the inspec-
t1on under the Department of Agriculture,
OF manufactures where butter is renovated
and recurring that all renovated butter be
stamped as such.
Mr. Tawney made the point Of order that
tne amendment was not germane, but Mr..
Williams (Miss.) contended that it was ger
name to a bill relating to limitation dairy
products"
Mr.. Lacey Oowa) who was in the chair,
overruled the point of order.
Mr.. Allen thereupon earnestly advocated
the adoption of his amendment. Those who
desired to prevent fraud upon the consum-
ers In dairy products. he contended. should
support his amendment.
"Wili you vote for the bill IL this amend
ment Is adopted2" asked Mr.. Tawney.
Il will II you will take the taxing power
out OF 1t; not otherwise" replied Mr.. Allen.
Branding Renovated Butter.
The Allen amendment was carried amid
considerable display of enthusiasm-127 to
lot.
Mr.. Henry. in charge of the bill, offered
an amendment. which was adopted, to pro-
vide that the bill should go into effect July
1. 1902 r. -
Mr.. Richardson Tenn) offered an amend
ment TO place an internal revenue tax Of 10
per cent on the products of steel corpora
tions. and on that Of all other corporations
known as trusts" per cent.
Mr.. Henry made the point that the
amendment was not, germane, against
which Mr.. Richardson argued that the bill
was brought under the guise of bill to
raise revenue, and that as such his amend
ment was germane.
The point Of order was sustained
Mr.. Wadsworth's Substitute.
Mr.. Wadsworth thereupon offered the
substitute for the entire bill which had
been prepared by the minority Of the agri-
cultural committee.
In explaining it's provisions Mr. Wads-
worth displayed at his desk the form Of
packages in which oleomargarine would be
sold hereafter IL the substitute were
adopted. The members congregated about
him while he made his exhibit. Samples Of
the product were placed on a salver and
handed around the House. Many Of the
members tasted Of 1t.
A breezy debate followed, notwithstand-
ing the lateness Of the hour and when the
vote was taken the substitute was defeated
-115 to 146.
When the committee rose Mr.. Tawney
(Minn.) demanded a separate vote on the
amendment relating to renovated butter,
but he described the amendment by the
wrong number and discovered his error only
after that amendment, with others Of a
minor character, had been adopted in gross
The exposure of the mistake amused the
enemies OF the bill, but Mr.. Tawney pro-
ceeded to retrace the parliamentary trail
by moving reconsideration of the vote
It took some time to straighten out the