36 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



I have no idea at all whether it was butter or butterine and 

 came home without finding out." 



The Secretary: " I am pleased the gentlemen has brought out 

 this question. The legislature of the United States, our National 

 congress, possesses only delegated powers. The power dele- 

 gated to our National congress is merely and simply the power of 

 taxation. They can impose a tax upon an article, but after they 

 have done that, they have gone as far as their power lies. They 

 cannot even oblige the same body which imposed the tax to pro- 

 vide means for the collection of that tax outside the regular machin- 

 ery of the proper department. It has been an idea current among 

 the people that if we could only get a National law passed reg- 

 ulating the sale of oleomargarine, we would immediately get 

 relief for all our ills. It is not so. The law passed by our 

 National legislature goes as far as all demands upon them can 

 bring it, but still it does not regulate any further than the regu- 

 lation by the internal revenue department; that the tubs and 

 pails shall be stamped from the hands of the manufacturers, to 

 the hands of the retailers, and that the retailer shall put his card 

 and notice upon the packages that he delivers to consumers. 

 There ends the power of the National legislative. Here the 

 state legislature's power commences and is alone the power that 

 can give you absolute relief. It is only the state of Illinois, in 

 its legislature assembled, that can declare and say that it shall 

 be illegal for any restaurant keeper, hotel keeper, retail dealer, 

 manufacturer, pork-packers, or anyone else in the state of Illinois, 

 to mix or sell oleomargarine or offer it to eat as or in lieu of but- 

 ter and oblige them to conspicuously placard their places of busi- 

 ness to the effect that a thorough advertising will be given to the 

 fact that oleomargarine is sold or served there." 



The President: " What is the law now ?" 



The Secretary: "The law of Illinois as it stands to-day is a 

 good law enough if there was any practical way to enforce it. 

 The law of this state to-day reads that neither oleomargarine or 

 any other compounded or spurious food shall be sold by a retailer 

 unless he shall give notice to the purchaser that it is a compound ; 



