76 OLEOMARGARINE. 



several hours, and I think, from what I have seen of the subject, if I 

 were given time I could reduce all I want to say in about a twenty- 

 five minutes' talk. 



The CHAIRMAN. Is there anyone here who wishes to be heard now 

 or during the holidays? 



Mr. SPRINGER. Mr. Chairman, let me say a word. I have been 

 informed by the president of the National Live Stock Association, 

 which represents all these varied associations in the West, that letters 

 have been addressed to the chairman and other members of this com- 

 mittee requesting the privilege of that association to be heard through 

 a committee to be appointed by them at their coming national conven- 

 tion at Salt Lake City, and that they could not get their committee 

 here before the 1st of February. 



The CHAIRMAN. That is entirely out of the question, Judge. Con- 

 gress can not wait for the live-stock association. I .think these gentle- 

 men will admit that we are trying to be fair and to give them all the 

 time we can. 



Mr. SPRINGER. I should like to explain the reason of their request- 

 ing that time. They are now engaged in assembling and preparing for 

 assembling at a national convention at Salt Lake City on the 15th, 16th, 

 17th, and 18th of January. It will be a convention containing repre- 

 sentatives of all the cattle -growing interests and live-stock interests of 

 every kind of the West and of the whole country, really. New York 

 State is represented, as well as others. In that convention they expect 

 to take some definite action and appoint a committee. 



In the meantime I have been requested to represent the association 

 here and ask that all the time be given to them that is possible for the 

 purpose of presenting their views. They have never been heard as an 

 association. They have never gone into politics nor into any business 

 of this kind. They have stood still and watched the operations of the 

 gentlemen who are engaged in the manufacture of oleomargarine until 

 they see that their interests would be vitally affected, stricken down in 

 many respects, by this proposed legislation, and for the first time they 

 desire to appear before the legislative department of the Government 

 and present their protest against this proposed legislation, and they 

 wish to dc it in a way that will at least set forth the varied interests 

 which this great association represents. 



Senator HANSBROUGH. When will they be ready to go on ? 



Mr. SPRINGER. As I stated, they meet in convention on the 15th of 

 January. 



Senator MONEY. While dividing out time here I must claim some 

 time for the cotton-seed oil men. Everybody knows that cotton-seed 

 'oil is much better than butter, oleomargarine, beef, or anything else. 

 You all use it on your tables as olive oil, and you ought to use more 

 of it. While they do not want to compel the use of cotton-seed oil, at 

 any rate they want to be heard, and they want you to give them a 

 chance, I know. 



The CHAIRMAN. Certainly. Already several Southern Senators have 

 spoken to me about that interest and I have told them that its repre- 

 sentatives might be heard on the 3d of January. 



Senator MONEY. I will telegraph them to come on at once, and some 

 of them will be here during the holidays. 



The CHAIRMAN. Some of them have expressed themselves as satisfied 

 with that date. Judge Springer, 1 should like very much to accom- 



