The Washington times., 1909-11-27
Beef Combine Denies At
tempting Corner In Butter
To Force Imitation.
TAKES HOT SHOT
AT DAIRYMEN
Figures Showing Situation to Be
Placed In Presidents
Hands.

The fight between the Beef trust and
the so-Called Dairy trust, with oleomar-
garine as the bone Of contention. began
in earnest today
The Beef trust agents I'm washington.
who see to it that the interests Of that
organization are looked after before
Congress, received a dispatch from their
headquarters in Chicago this morning
which said:
THE statement that Armour & Co.
had cornered the butter market in order
20 force higher prices of butter In the
interests of the oleomargarine manu-
facturers is not true. The statement
has been instigated by the Dairy trust"
This is the first hot shot thrown by
the Beef trust at the dairy interests.
which were represented at the White
House by several well-known experts
headed by former Governor Hoard, cf
Wisconsin. on Wednesday.
Figures For Taft.
Tho dispatch quoted above, together
with figures bearing on the situation
from the standpoint OF the Beef trust
and emphasizing the untruth Of the re-
port Of a butter corner, viii be forward
ed 10 President Taft. The figures fol-
low;
Is less than one-sixueth Of the total
output Of butter as shown by the figures
for the year ending October % last. We
have in storage 100000 pounds out Of a
total, as .nown by best authorities. a.
10000 pounds in thirty-one warehouses
on October l.
The dispatch then quotes. The Dairy
Produce" a Chicago newspaper owned
and conducted by 5. b. Shilling. of Chi
f1rrnF ff Ia NsaFf nal
Dairy Union. tending 20 show that
there Is a tremendous shortage In the
butter crop this year, and that ad-
vances in prices are due 20 this cause
and not TO the fact that the beef inter
ests, which manufacture oleomargarile
have cornered, or are trying TO corner,
the butter market.
Unusually Large Supply.
II is acknowledged. however, by agents
of the Beef trust that a supply OF 900 900
pounds OF butter is an unusually large
amount of that product 70 have on hand
at any one time especially in view Of
the fact that only thirty-nine other
warehouses possess but a total Of o.
100000 pounds.
Nevertheless the Beef trust holds out
IN denial Of The report which has gained
currency, that it has been preparing to
corner the butter marset, and Il Is pre-
White House 20 fight the dairy interests
TO the last ditch.
The Beef trust claims that the dairy
interests are urging retention Of tax
upon oleomarga rine which IS prohibi-
tive. There is at present tax Of 10
cents a pound upon oleomargarine which
contains artificial Coloring matter. but
out of total output OF 10000, 900 pounds
of oleo during this year IL is expected
that only about $4,000 pounds will be
amenaDle to the tax under that restric-
ton. The dairy interests, a. is said
claim that much Of the remaining O.. 900
600 pounds is cOlOrcd IN a way making IL
subject, by right, TO the tax. but the
Beef trust claims that such COloring is
done after the product leaves the HANDS
Of the manufacturers, and is done bv
dishonest small dealers whom IL is i'm
Secretary MacNeagh is expected to
Secretary McEeagh is expected. 10
make a recommendation TO Congress
during its forthcoming session On which
tax or 2 cents a pound shall be inn
posed upon all oleOmargarine provided
the word "Oleomargarine" IS slammed
by manufacturing process into each
package produced and then vraDDed IN
q way showing Government INSPECTION
u IS said that the Beef trust is willing
that this proposition shall bc nassed
but the dairy interests are expected 10
oppose It.