OLEOMARGARINE. 507 



only of the sentiment of organized labor in the premises, but of that 

 prevalent generally among our urban citizens. Speaking particularly 

 for Columbus, Ohio, I will say, and without the slightest fear of suc- 

 cessful contradiction or contra version, that such sentiment is general 

 from our wealthiest and most representative citizen, the retired or 

 active business man, to the very humblest and poorest. The fact of 

 the matter is, gentlemen, that this present contention has resolved 

 itself into an attack upon urban rights by rural influences, as manipu- 

 lated and directed by the collective intelligence, experience, and design- 

 ing capacity at present identified with the operation of creamery 

 concerns, on one hand, and the firm determination on the part of the 

 men representing such urban rights to defend themselves against such 

 persecution and unjustifiable invasion of their constitutional rights. 



It speaks badly for the merit of the contention being made by the 

 gentlemen at present engaged in attacking the butterine industry that 

 some of them should be compelled, as a feature of their effort, to resort 

 to reprisal by way of making an attack on labor legislation, as some of 

 them have to me personally threatened they would do. They propose 

 to have the Senators, whom they seemingly profess to own and operate 

 by right and virtue of their connection (whatever its nature) with agri- 

 cultural influences, oppose all labor legislation which may hereafter be 

 introduced in the United States Senate. We fear not such threats, and 

 defy these gentlemen, or any others, to put them into operation. We 

 have too much confidence in that sense of independence, prudence, and 

 justice which characterizes the United States Senator to believe that 

 any one of such Senators would lend himself to these gentlemen, or any 

 other men or set of men, for the sheer purpose of gratifying a desire 

 for revenge, or of satiating or attempting to satiate or gratify that 

 narrow-minded and un-American sense of intolerance, prejudice, and 

 brow-beating tyranny which has characterized every action, expression, 

 and argument of the supporters of this measure in their efforts to 

 secure its passage, based as it is, and as they know it to be, upon a 

 childish, senseless, miserable, contemptible, threadbare, and transpar- 

 ent subterfuge. 



We have no quarrel with agricultural Senators or agricultural inter- 

 ests. We are simply endeavoring to protect ourselves from the evils 

 sure to result from the complete formation of the creamery monopoly, 

 the foundation of which is already laid upon the anticipated strangu- 

 lation of the infant industry producing oleomargarine. Should such 

 strangulation be successfully effected, said creamery monopoly will 

 establish itself as the Standard Oil Company is at present established. 

 They will own little creameries located in every village, and within easy 

 access to all farmers of our country, to which said farmers will deliver 

 their milk just as the Standard Oil Company at present secures its oil. 

 Said creamery monopoly will regulate to its own suiting the selling price 

 of butter, and to the farmer's sorrow the purchasing price of milk. They 

 will adopt the methods in general use by monopolies to destroy other 

 competitors if they succeed in utilizing the United States Congress in 

 destroying the oleomargarine industry, and the result will be that the 

 citizens of the United States will have the pleasure of paying 55 or 60 

 cents per pound for butter, or going without it altogether. It will be 

 the same old story of our citizens paying tribute to monopoly, vainly 

 endeavoring to satiate monopolistic cupidity, which as we all know is 

 insatiable and merciless. We recognize, and if necessary will defend 

 the rights of the farmers, but we do not propose to have the farmer 

 trample upon the rights of the manufacturer at our expense if we can 



