The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-08-02
HITS HIM IN n HARD
EsngessEan Lever Accused Of WerkRs
itfor ,he Heat h Il: Tlust.
VERY SERIOUS CHARGE

~ U 42AH u 0AAAe9~~S SS~No.'-' '>-'---.tr..
washington Correspondent Of Farm
and Fireside Charges Lever With
Sending Out Thousands Of Let
ters.f Circulars and Other Matter
xnrnished Him by Armour Lobby.
Farm and Fireside, a reputable ag-
ricultural journal published AZ
Springfield, O., on the tenth OF last
month. published a letter from Jud-
son C.. Welliver, It's Washington cor
respondent, that contained some ser
5nus charges against Congressman
Lever in connection with his attempt
tn i,, re,,peeal the tax on oleomargarine, a
nroduct that is largely made by Ar
,nonr and other members OF the
Meat Trust, who, of COURSE, wanted
the tax repealed. Here are some ex-
tracts from Welliver's letter:
There will be no legislation dur-
ing the present Congress for the par
nose of removing or materially re-
,ncing the internal revenue tax on
,o,eoma rgarine. At least, such is TIE
.nrobability at this writing, with the
session near its close. That, now
ever. is no assurance that the hgnt
of the oleomargarine manufacturers
ia over. On the other hand, ! happen
In know that Swift and Armour IN
.erests, which have been maintaining
particularly active lobby in WASH
ington in the last two or three ses-
sions, are, on the whole, very well
pleased with what they have accom-
plished and have no thought OF
dropping the fight. These big and
powerful interests work on such mat
fers as this on the theory that con-
slant dropping will wear the stone.
The truth is that they have made
real progress since they began this
fight. They have strong line OF
Southern support organized behind
their movement, and scattering
strength in many parts of the coun-
try, particularly including, Of course,
-4he big centers of the packing IN
dustry. -:
..Now let me give a very speclhc
siIustration. A few days ago re-
ceived from the editor OF Farm ana
Firesjde a letter, -inclosing cir
cular urging support of H. r. a.
s51. which is the bill introduced by
the honorable Asbury Francis Lev
er OF South Carolina to repeal the
internal revenue tax on oleomargar-
ine and give the Bureau Of Meat In
spection jurisdiction of the whole
subject. This circular interested me
because 1t was in the form Of a per-
sonal letter, written on the official
stationery of the House of Represen-
taityes and signed by A. F. Lever,
Member OF Congress. The Editor
really believed that he had been hon
ored with a personal letter from
Mr. Lever. Likewise I have no
doubt that he esteemed it dis
tinction OF real class, and for the
time, at least, achieved new and
uplifting conception of the dignity
of his occupation. doubt not that
as he contemplated himself as
moulder Of public opinion. received
from a great statesman said states
mans eloquent appeal for support
of legislation which said stateman
earnestly assured him was in the
public interest, he realized anew that
the pen is mightier than the sword;
and if he had known everything that
was back of that letter of Mr.. Lev
er's, he might even been led to Won
der whether the pen didn't have
few things on the pork-barrel.
MIR. Levers Letter.
.'Now let me tell you the story Of
this letter of Mr.. Levers to the eei-
tor Of Farm and Fireside. At the
outset l feel constrained to make ny
acknowledgements to the editor, who
in forwarding Mr.. Levers letter TO
me indicated very clearly tat he
hadn't fallen foI the delicate a"
insinuating fattering Of Mr.. Levers
appeal for his support. In fact he
told me rI.:, harm and Fi:'es:de was
not for tie Lever bill an:: was"t
for any other legislation designed
to make fraud easier or to enable
the public to enjoy the advantages
incident to the peculiar privilege of
lubricating its bread with painted
tallow, sold as frst-class butter, but
Il; a slig,., shaded price. Tae e.
itor said that Farm and Fireside
is opposed to the repeal of the IA:
on colored oleopargarine. 1t does
not believe that it should be sold as
butter and its objection to having
1T sold in colored forIG is that while
: the coloring of it may be necessary
TO make it merchantable, jus. rs The
coloring ,,f butter is, the real object
of coloring is to commit fraud and
sell it as butter" Wherefore, the
edi.or, whom / have long snown az
a peculiarly narrow-minded person
with. prejudices against counterfeit
ing, forgery, larceny. obtaining mon
ey under false pretenses and various
other forms Of latter-day ENTERPRISE,