706 OLEOMARGARINE. 



minimize the labor and expense, and at the same time insure the earlier 

 receipt of these letters by the parties for whom they are intended, it they 

 were mailed direct from Chicago, and without any interference on the 

 part of the farmer or dairyman who simply affixes his signature? 



The people who are opposed to this measure include all classes of citi- 

 zens, from the man who represents vast and diversified business inter- 

 ests to the laborer, who is the consumer, and who demands it as his 

 right that he be permitted to purchase his oleomargarine of a sightly 

 color without additional Congressional restrictions, and at minimum 

 cost. They have sent their solemn protest to you against this pernicious 

 piece of class legislation. They are the purchasers and the consumers 

 of this article, and their demands and their rights in this matter should 

 certainly be respected. The toiler objects to drawing the line of demarca- 

 tion between brawn and wealth in a manner to give ocular demonstra- 

 tion of his poverty by compelling him to purchase his substitute for 

 butter white, or do without it. The great central body at Chicago of 

 the Federation of Labor have placed their stamp of disapproval on this 

 bill, and other organizations throughout the country have followed their 

 example, or are preparing to do so, and a statement to the contrary in 

 a brief submitted for your perusal is probably as truthful as the other 

 statements therein contained. The same party makes a vicious, base- 

 less, and unwarranted attack on the Government officials under whose 

 jurisdiction these goods are made and sold. These gentlemen need no 

 defense before this committee, but in all fairness I am impelled to say 

 that I never met one who was not active and conscientious in the dis- 

 charge of his duty, and the statement reflecting on the integrity of these 

 officials is cowardly, false, and unjust. 



I am fully convinced if this question was honestly explained to, and 

 thoroughly understood by, the farmers of this country, that they would 

 join with the others and ourselves in protesting against the passage ot 

 this bill. There is not a single ingredient that enters into the compo- 

 sition of oleomargarine that is not the product of the farm, and whose 

 market value is not increased by its introduction as a commercial prod- 

 uct through this channel. 



Gentlemen, as an American citizen, I can not allow myself to believe 

 that Congress will permit itself to be used as a bumper between rival 

 industries. Congress was never intended to exercise its legislative 

 powers in such a manner as to confer rights upon one industry that 

 would cause the total destruction of a rival business, and this is what 

 the framers of the Grout bill are asking you to do. 



Gentlemen, 1 solemnly protest against unwise and vicious legislation 

 of this kind, and I appeal to your business judgment when you deliber- 

 ate on this question among yourselves. I protest against the passage 

 of the Grout bill; it is an invasion of our rights; it is practically a con- 

 fiscation of our property interests, an injustice to the producer and 

 consumer alike. 



Now, in addition to this, gentlemen, I have brought down some sam- 

 ples of oleomargarine in original packages that are put up as the pres- 

 ent law directs, and with your permission, I would like to show you 

 how it is done. 



Representative NEVILLE. Will you answer a question or two before 

 you do that? 



Mr. DADIE. Yes, sir. 



Representative NEVILLE. When you state that only 1 per cent of the 

 amount that is sold in the United States was sold fraudulently or for 

 butter instead of butterine, do you mean that that amount was sold by 



