OLEOMARGARINE. 351 



duction which I have presented represents but faintly the bitter 

 antagonism which prevails in the ranks of organized labor to said 

 measure. 



When any class of men are organized, matters bearing upon their 

 interests generally receive full and exhaustive discussion in the organi- 

 zation representing that particular class. And so it is with the Grout 

 bill. In nearly every labor organization in our country it has been 

 np for discussion; and I myself have heard iron molders, blacksmiths, 

 electrical workers, and members of almost every craft discuss the mat- 

 ter, making such familiar use of technical chemical phrases as to im- 

 press one who did not know what their occupation really was with a 

 belief that they were either chemists or deep amateur students of that 

 profession or art. 



The members of organized labor are thoroughly familiar with all of 

 the phases of this bill. They speak about the chemical analyses which 

 have been made of oleomargarine by official chemists, and they discuss 

 all of the various components and ingredients of the product with almost 

 as much familiarity as the manufacturers themselves are capable of 

 doing. So I say that they are wide awake to the necessity, in the pro- 

 tection of their own interests, of having the bill defeated. Not only 

 that; but as patriotic American citizens they feel deeply the indignity 

 to which our legislative bodies have been subjected by this attempt to 

 utilize them for the promotion of the interests of certain individuals 

 and corporations in violation of every sense of right and justice and at 

 the expense of the constitutional prerogatives of other citizens. They 

 feel that the legislative bodies of some of our States and the Congress 

 of the United States have been insulted by this attempt to utilize them 

 as tools for the protection of certain interests which can not sustain 

 themselves against competitors. 



Senator ALLEN. Mr. McNamee, would it interrupt you if I should 

 ask you a question or two ? 



Mr. McNAMEE. I shall be very glad to have you ask me all the ques- 

 tions you wish. 



Senator ALLEN. How many laboring men are engaged in the manu- 

 facture of oleomargarine 1 ? 



Mr. McNAMEE. How many laboring men, you say? 



Senator ALLEN. Yes; how many men are there who earn their daily 

 living by that industry? 



Mr. McNAMEE. There are thousands of laboring men who earn their 

 living by manufacturing oleomargarine. 



Senator ALLEN. How many thousands would you say, in round 

 numbers? 



Mr. McNAMEE. I am not in a position to state exactly or even 

 approximately the number of men. 



Senator ALLEN. Then your contention is that the man of moderate 

 means has a right to purchase an article which is cheaper than genuine 

 butter, if he desires to do so, and use it? 



Mr. McNAMEE. My contention is this, Senator: That we are desirous 

 of perpetuating the employment of the men who make the butterine, 

 although we may not know to within five or six how many men are so 

 employed. But we are mainly desirous of perpetuating the existence 

 of this product, with which we have had amply sufficient experience to 

 know that it is healthful, wholesome, and palatable. 



Senator ALLEN. Then the whole thing is summed up in this one 

 remark that the laboring people whom you represent are desirous of 



