Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-05-22
THE DAIRYMAN's FRIEND. !
A Strong Endorsement OF Congress.
man Haugen, by One Who
Knows.

4 W
| ing the fight of the dairymen to pro-
tect their interests against the oleo
fraud is written by Geo. l.. Mckay
secretary of the American Associa-
tion of Creamery Butter Manufacture
ers and formerly a professor in the
Agricultural College at Ames.
To electors of the 4th Congress
sional District of Iowa:
| Having spent fifteen years of the
best part of my life at Iowa State
College, in charge of the dairy de-
partment, | naturally am very much
interested IN the dairy and agricul-
| tural interests of Iowa. Therefore,
| am making an appeal to you, re-
gardless of political affiliation, to
support Congressman Gilbert n. Haul
! gen.
! | have attended the hearings of
the Agricultural Congress sional Com
mittee at Washington during the
past two years, when the packers and
oleomargarine manufacturers were
putting forth strenuous efforts to
pass laws that would practically de-
stroy the dairy industry of the coun-
try. The one man who stood out far
ahead of the others in opposing the
interests of the packers and oleo-
margarine people and favoring the
rights of the farmers or producers,
was Congressman Haugen.
Personally l have very little ac-
quaintance with him. l have only
met him during the hearings. My
attention was drawn to him during
the first hearing from the general
knowledge he seemed to possess and
the fight he was putting up in behalf
of the dairymen, or for an honest
product.
/ inquired as to what state the gen.
tleman was from, and when inform
ed that he represented the Fourth
Congressional District of Iowa,
naturally was pleased.
Two weeks ago, when attending
the hearings, | overheard the remark
Of a leading granger from one of the
eastern states, who introduced him
self to Congressman Haugen at the
close of the hearing, and said: Are
you the sole defender of the dairy
interests on the committee?' The
congressman modestly replied, "Oh
no, | have a number of friends on
the committee, but | have been en-.
gagged in the work so long, and an
so familiar with it that / naturally
take the lead"
This modest statement of Con
gressman AHaugen is the keynote tc
the whole situation. No congress.
man unfamiliar with the situation
could perform the work on that com
mittee that Mr.. Haugen does. He
has a wonderful grasp of the, whole
situation and seems to possess a re-
! markable memory for dates and fig
ures, thus he is able to refute and
correct false statements as soon as
they are uttered by the other side
The packers and eleomargarine in
| terests have been represented there
. constantly by four lawyers. 1t seem
ed to be the chief aim of these law
yers to harass and confuse the speak
: ers who represent the dairy interest:
, and argue before the committee.
Congressman Haugen was always
ready to come to the relief OF the
speaker and adjust matters in man
: ner that let the hirelings of the
packers and oleomargarine people
understand that the dairy and agri
cultural representatives were COINS
to have fair play.
The chances are that, larger.
: through the strenuous efforts or MI
, Haugen, the oleomargarine bill is de
feated for this session of congress
This means, however, that it vii
come up again during the next ses
/ sion, stronger than ever.
p The leaders of the democratic par
ty became a little alarmed over tn
> way that the grange and dairy in
; terests of the country backed up Con
4 gressman Haugen in this fight. |
I would be a calamity to the dairy In
terests of these United States to hav
Congressman Haugen defeated at tn
: polls.
: Very few people realize the I'm
q portance of the fight that the oleo
y margarine people and the packers ar
putting up. Last year $4,000, 90
c pounds of oleomargarine We're pro
e duced in this country. The Commis
: sioner of Internal Revenue state
. before the Agricultural Committee
so / am told, that in his judgmen
u 90 per cent of this product was sol
as butter and at butter prices. Sey
q enty-five per cent of the oleomargaI
, inc oil produced in this country
: exported. Therefore, it can readil
De StcI tudl IL ali tuto oii " oS A1i"iA =
! featured into oleomargarine and sol
}, at home, there would not be muc
i chance for the genuine butter, as tn
oleomargarine product can be Pre-
duced for from to IL cents pc
r pound, depending on the amount Q
butter and cream used
o The real fight of the packer IS t
get control of the dairy products G
this country the same as they no.
X have of the meat products. II the
are ever permitted TO color oleomal
o garine yellow the same shade as bal
> ter, and in addition are allowed I
= use butter and cream in their pre-
n duct, they will force the real dairy
men of the country out OF bus'nesl
6 and will control the entire dairy rrt
duct. Therefore, it rests with ia
: electors of Iowa and other states
: say If the butter of the future is
be made from the milk and creal
n of the COW. in the old fashioned wa.
i or whether it is to be made in tn
= packing houses, largely from the II
l. testinal fats OF the hog and the stee