OLEOMARGARINE. 391 



an article pleasing to the sight. By increasing the sale of uncolored 

 oleomargarine the farmer loses nothing, because he stands his share of 

 the burdensome tax that is now imposed. He gets that much less for 

 the products that enter into the production of oleomargarine. 



Ex President Cleveland, in August, 1886, stated in his message to 

 Congress : 



It has been urged that while purporting to be legislation for revenue its real 

 purpose is to destroy, by the use of the taxing power, one industry of our people 

 for the protection and benefit of another. If entitled to indulge in such a suspicion 

 as a basis of official action in this case, and if entirely satisfied that the conse- 

 quences indicated would ens ueyir should doubtless feel constrained to interpose 

 Executive dissent. 



This was on a tax of 2 cents per pound on commercial oleomargarine, 

 and if such a levy imposed raised a question of class legislation, what 

 about a tax of 10 cents per pound f If it is fair to crush our industry, 

 if it is fair to the population of this country to deprive them of what 

 they want, if it is fair to enhance the price of butter in favor of the 

 butter speculators at the expense of those in ordinary circumstances, 

 then it is right to pass this bill; but I believe if the Grout bill becomes 

 a law the day will come when every man who goes on record in this 

 legislation as favoring this destructive measure will be called upon to 

 express themselves in further legislation of the same character, viz, to 

 relegate to the States their police power, and to tax one class at the 

 expense of another. I would suggest that a commission be appointed, 

 made up of experienced business men, together with officers of the 

 Internal-Revenue Department, together with representatives of organ- 

 ized labor, to frame a law that will identify oleomargarine to the con- 

 sumer; at the same time investigate the butter maker, particularly the 

 process-butter maker, and have a bill introduced in the next session of 

 Congress, and it will have our hearty approval and support. 



Anything to identify oleomargarine as oleomargarine. Protect the 

 consumer, but do not rob oleomargarine of one of its first qualities. 



Senator PROCTOR. What was your extract from President Cleve- 

 land. Was it a veto message! 



Mr. JELKE. No, sir : it was when he signed the bill. He did not veto 

 the bill. 



Senator PROCTOR. But sent a special message 1 ? 



Mr. JELKE. Yes, sir. 



Senator PROCTOR. I notice that you do not all pronounce this word 

 the same. How is it pronounced? 



Mr. JELKE. In Europe, it is everywhere called "margarine," with 

 the hard "g. w In Germany I have been in the principal factories, and 

 in Holland; and, by the way, in both Germany and Holland there are 

 single manufacturers who produce as much oleomargarine as all the 

 manufacturers of oleomargarine in the United States. 



Senator ALLEN. The standard dictionaries give it as "oleomar- 

 garine," with the hard "g." 



Senator DOLLIVER. Is the number of oleomargarine factories increas- 

 ing in the United States? 



Mr. JELKE. Yes, sir; they have been increasing recently. In Ger- 

 many they have increased to a wonderful extent. In fact, in the old 

 city of Nuremberg there are two margarine factories. I visited one 

 of them. 



Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your attention. 



