360 OLEOMARGARINE. 



to keep that bill from passing. You tell the Senators up there that if they need any 

 further proof of the truth of the statements you make,, we'll all write them a letter. 

 We'll block the mails if necessary. All they've got to do is request it, and we'll 

 give them practical proof, in our own handwriting, over our own signatures, what 

 our sentiments are. 



And everyone of those men shook hands with me most cordially, 

 most enthusiastically, and expressed an earnest and sincere hope that 

 my mission here would be successful. 



I honestly wish it were possible to convey that scene from Columbus 

 to the floor of the Senate of the United States when this bill is up 

 for discussion that is, if it ever does come up for discussion, and I 

 sincerely trust that it will not. In fact, I am confident that it will not. 

 I am confident that this committee will take proper steps in regard to 

 it. But if they could only witness that scene it would need no further 

 argument on my part to convince them of the sincerity of the masses 

 of workingmen in demanding its defeat. 



Senator ALLEN. I think you had better file the papers you have 

 there, which you desire to present to the committee, without reading 

 them. They are too voluminous to read. They will all be printed and 

 put in the report. 



Mr. MC^AMEE. With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like 

 to refer to some of the points contained in some of these resolutions, 

 and whenever I have taken up too much of your time, I will very gladly 

 yield to a suggestion to quit. But as long as you decide to tolerate me 

 I would like to refer to some of the points in these resolutions. 



Here is an expression from one of the largest representative labor 

 bodies in the United States the Chicago Federation of Labor, and 

 here is what they say relative to the tax : 



We believe the efforts to place a tax of 10 cents per pound on colored butterine is 

 inspired by selfish motives, so that the manufacturers of butter may charge an 

 unreasonable price for their commodity, and enable the large creameries to establish 

 surely and securely a butter trust which may raise prices as their cupidity may 

 dictate. 



Here is another expression : 



Justice demands equal rights for both manufacturers of butter and butterine, both 

 products having equal merit. Any adverse legislation against either must be 

 condemned. 



At the present time butter which, in its original state, would be too 

 unsightly for use, is being colored continually with impunity by the 

 farmers of Ohio. There has never been a protest raised against this 

 coloring, although I understand it is illegal. But it would not serve 

 the political purposes of our dairy and food commissioner to enter such 

 a protest, although it would be strictly in the line of his duty. Con- 

 sequently, that law, if such exists, is not enforced, and if none such 

 exist, no attempt has been ever made to enact one, although such col- 

 oring is certainly for the purpose of deception. 



I will venture to say that a vast proportion of our urban citizens, if 

 compelled by law to use butter as it appears originally, and at the 

 same time if forbidden to use oleomargarine, would abstain from its 

 use altogether. They would prefer to eat dry bread or to use some 

 sort of substitute, in the way of jam, or something of that sort, used 

 as a spread, confining themselves, for cooking purposes, to the use of 

 lard or something of that kind. That does not apply to all butter, 

 but it does apply to the larger proportion by far of the butter that is 

 placed upon our market for sale. Yet why is it that it is right to color 

 butter and to deceive the people into believing that it is good Jersey 

 butter, or some other kind that may be desirable, when it is really the 



