The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-26
MAY HIT CIRCUIT LAW
JAMES A. TAWNEY WRITES LET
TER RELATIVE TO DANGER.
Repeal of IleOmargarine Measure Would
Be Detrimental to the Farming
and Dairying Interests in Mime
sofa; Meanwhile What Is Con-
gresham Hammond Doing to Pro-
tect His Constituents.

tect His Constituents.
Congressman James A. Tawney of
the first district writes the following
letter to The Owatonna Journal Chron-
icle relative to the attempt that will
be made to repeal the oleomargarine
law, reference to which has been made
in these columns:
81 wish to call yOur attention to
matter of great Importance to the
farmers and dairymen of the first dis
trict, the state of Minnesota, and the
country generally. Congressman Burle-.
son of Texas introduced in the house
of Representatives, during the session
Just ended, a bill to repeal the pres
ent interchangeable law under which
cOlOred Oleomargarine is now taxed at
the rate of ten cents pound. Mr.
BurlesOn was foremost among those
who opposed the enactment of the pres
ent law, and representing as he does a
state largely interested in the cotton
seed oil and cattle industries, it is his
intention to secure the enactment of
his bill, if possible, during the first
regular session of the sixty first con-
gress.
Made One Big Fight.
at is hardly necessary for me to
call to your mind the prolonged fight
that was necessary during the fifty
sixth and fifty seventh congress to Sc
cure the enactment of the anti cleo
margarine law. As a result of its en-
actment the production of Oleomar-
garine dropped from l26,0O0,OOO pounds
the year preceding its passage, practi.
cally all of which was colored and
therefore came directly into competi-
ton with creamery butter, to 10000
600 pounds in 1904, only 100000
pounds of which was cOlored in imi-
tation of butter The production has
, increased somewhat since then, 6S,0O0,-
1000 pounds being produced in 1907,
| 100000 pounds of which was colOred.
The present high price of butter which
| has prevailed for some time has
stimulated the production of oleomar-
garine and has also furnished the adj
vocates of the repeal of the anti-oleo-
mar9ine law with an argument in favor
of its repeal which they are using to
the best advantage. The American
Meat Packers Association and the Ma
tiona Grocers' association, as well as
other organizations of like character,
are now using their influence for the
repeal of the law.
| Referred to Committee on Ways and
! The present law was reported from
the committee on agriculture. The
! Burleson bill, however, has been refer
red to the committee on ways and
means, upon the ground that it is a
revenue measure. That committee
stood almost unanimously opposed to
the ten cent tax when the matter was
under consideration i'm the house, as
was evidenced by the action of the
committee in making an almost unani.
nous report against the resolution in
the secretary of the treasury to fur,
nish the house with information in his
possession as to the materials and in
gradients used in the manufacture OF
oleOmargarine. Mr.. Deliver and my
self being at that time members of the
committee on ways and means, made
a minority report, and, regardless, OF
the almost unanimous adverse action
of the committee, secured the pas
sage of the resolution by the house
and with the information thus obtain.
ed from the secretary of the treasury
succeeded in securing the passage OF
the bill. In view of the attitude OF
the committee on ways and means
there is danger that that committee
will report the BurlesOn bill favorably
to the house during the first regu.
lar session of the sixty-frst congress
Will Try to Prevent Repeal
Having taken an active part in the
fight which resulted in the enactment
of tine law. and representing as / dc
a district in which there are l3g
! creameries producing in the neighbour
hood of 100000 pounds of cream
cry butter a year. for which the farm.
ers of the district receive nearly $3,-
250.00O.' it is needless to say that ]
shall put forth my best endeavors to
Iprevcnt the repeal of the present law
1t will be essential however, for the
farmers and dairymen of the first dis.
trict and throughout the United States
who have been benefited to organize
and stand strongly back of those who
were instrumental i'm securing the en-
actment of the present law and who
will oppose any change or modification
in it, for otherwise those who favor
tits repeal, with favorable report
from the committee on WAYS and
means, may succeed in their efforts to
secure the passage of the Burleson
bill.
| 81 have written you thus at length
to apprise you of the situation as il
now is and to let You know the dan
ger which threatens the dairy indus.
FRY Of hp country i'm fho roccihIa ra