240 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Washington, and while it interests the dairymen, it also interests every- 

 one concerned in the productions of -agriculture. It is the reconstructed 

 Grout bill before the Senate committee, and I will ask Mr. Grout of Win- 

 chester to speak to us on this subject. 



Mr. Grout — I am very sorry that I have been called to champion the 

 Grout bill, and I don't want you to make the mistake that I am the author 

 of it, I have been asked that several times if that was my bill, but that 

 was down in Egypt where they didn't know any better. 



While I have nothing to do with this Grout bill, and while I care very 

 little for the dairying especially, still I am in full sympathy with that bill. 

 Not because I sympathize especially with the dairymen, but because I am 

 opposed to fraud and deceit of eve ry kind. I believe that every cup should 

 stand on^t&V own bottom. Everything should be considered at exactly 

 what it is worth. 



I know of no reacon why there should be any contest over a bill of this 

 kind. I represent the people, perhaps, in raising beef cattle, and it is 

 claimed that the beef interests of this country will be greatly injured if 

 this bill — that is known as the Grout bill — passes and becomes the law of 

 this country. I do not know why, or even if it passes that it will be injur- 

 ed, and see no reason why it should not be passed. The beef interests 

 should stand upon their own merits; then let them pass it. I do not see 

 why fraud should be perpetrated in order to build up any industry in this 

 country. 



While I have not taken any special interest in this bill. I decided at 

 once that I was in favor of any thi ng that would prevent a fraud. The peo- 

 ple of this country are entitled to know what they consume. If they are 

 buying butter, it is their right to know that they are buying butter, and 

 not Lomething else. If the people of this country want to consume oleo- 

 margarine or things of that kind, they have a perfect right to doVsjtvbut 

 they should know what they are doing. When they do know what they 

 are doing, there is no reason on Go d's earth why they should not do it.t 



As I stated in the first place I have nc special interest in this bill, 

 and in fact I don't like the dairy business. I took a great dislike to it in 



