520 OLEOMARGARINE. 



trade, or in New York as the produce exchange, where grain is dealt 

 in 



The board of directors of the chamber of commerce yesterday reopened the case 

 in which the butter men were arrayed against the oleomargarine manufacturers. 

 The latter opposed the Grout bill, and M majojity of the board of directors signed a 

 protest against the passage of the bill, which protest was forwarded to the House of 

 Representatives at Washington. The bill puts a heavy increased tax on oleomarga- 

 rite, if colored, and the manufacturers held that it would drive them out of the busi- 

 ness. The directors considered the matter at length, and finally confirmed the action 

 of the majority of the board taken some time ago, as stated. 



This is from the Cincinnati Enquirer of January 10: 



There is dissension among the produce and commission men on change that 

 threatens to call into question the legal existence of the body that is generally 

 known as the Produce Exchange of Cincinnati. 



The question has been brought up by tho action of the members of that body yes- 

 terday in passing a resolution in which exceptions were taken to the action of the 

 directors of the chamber of commerce in calling on Congress to defeat the passage of 

 the Grout bill, which is hostile to the interests engaged in the making of oleomarga- 

 rine. The creamery-butter men want the bill passed, as it puts a tax of 10 cents a 

 pound 011 colored oieo, and thus makes it easier for the creamery-butter makers to 

 sell their product without the competition of the oleo men. 



At yesterday's session the butter men in the produce exchange passed the follow- 

 ing resolution : 



Whereas the board of directors of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce has 

 memorialized the Senate of the United States that the organization is opposed to- 

 the passage of the Grout bill : 



Be it resolved, That the Cincinnati Produce Exchange, members of the Cincinnati 

 Chamber of Commerce, do condemn the action above taken, and do respectfully 

 urge your speedy and favorable action upon the Grout bill. 



Senator HANSBROUGH. That resolution was sent to the chairman of 

 the committee, I will state. I have it here, signed by David Dreifus 

 as president and H. J. Finke as secretary. 



Mr. JELKE. Also, in reply to some statements made regarding the 

 sale of oleomargarine for butter in Cincinnati, I have a telegram from 

 my brother living in Cincinnati, whom I notified last night by tele- 

 phone. His answer reads as follows: 



Collector Bettman authorizes me to say for him that it is not true that large quan- 

 tities of oleomargarine are sold in the Cincinnati markets as butter; that the law is 

 more closely observed, and there is less violation of the law and revenue regula- 

 tions in regard to oleomargarine than in regard to either whisky or tobacco; and 

 that he will make this statement over his own signature if asked by the Commis- 

 sioner of Internal Revenue. 



F. JELKE. 



Mr. TOMPKINS. With reference to communications from farmers, I 

 want to say that I have not the slightest doubt that the farmers, who 

 are very much interested in this subject, ap to the present time do not 

 know about it, and those who produce the cotton seed and are inter- 

 ested in the cotton seed that goes into the cotton seed-oil mills do not 

 know about it. If it is a question of getting communications from 

 farmers I have not the slightest doubt that at least 50 per cent of the 

 farmers could be got to petition against the bill, which will depreciate 

 their interest not less than $2 a ton on 2,000,000 tons of seed. 



On the subject of the interests that are affected we have some testi- 

 mony that was given before the House committee on the subject of the 

 cattle interests, that since the fall of 1895 there has been a depression 

 in the value of live stock to the extent of $02,000,000. I have not the 

 slightest doubt that the passage of the bill would affect the farmers 7 

 cotton-seed interests to the extent of" at least $2 a ton on all the seed 

 that they sell. 



Mr. KNIG.ET. Will you yield to a question? 



