The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-06-12
A Blow at Southern Prosperity.
INatchez Democrat.I

LUZ paccasc VI tuc uicOuhl gar
gine bill by the House OF Repre-
sentatives on Wednesday last is
one of the most positive proofs
that little confidence is to be
placed in the professions of many
politicians. Among those who
voted for this bill we find the
names of many who have profes-
sed the strongest opposition to a
protective system, yet they have
put themselves on record as favor.
ing the protection of one homo
industry against another.
If the substance is hurtful to
health, or if any way injurious to
those by whom it is used, then it
might be proper to throw such
safe guards arounds Its sale as
are placed around the sale of 9th.
er polsons. fit is sold in q fraud
ulent manner under the name Of
any other product it would be
perfectly legitimate to legislate to
prevent the perpetration of such
frauds, or to compel the sale Of it
under one name, or even to re-
Quire that it be sold from the orig.
inal package. But oleomargarine
is recognized not only as an innoc.
uous and harmless food, bnt is one
containing full share of nutri.
tious muscle making matter and
far more attractive and palatable
than a large proportion of the
cbalky, sticky material produced
in the dalries of the country. 1t
has been simply on the ground Of
protection to the dairyman that
this bill has been advocated, and
those who have voted for its pas
sage have committed themselves
to the doctrine of protection in
its most offensive form.
The careful dairyman who sends
a really good article Of butter to
market needs no protection, for
there is q greater demand for
good butter than the dairies OF
the country can supply. We have
in our mind dairy in this county
for the product Of which fifty
cents a pound is freely given the
year round and which in the large
cities would command twice thai
price, while the butter made il
the careless manner so common II
the country is refused at an,
price, and oleomargarine is bough
in preference. Good butter is II
far greater demand than can b,
met.
The members from this State
with two honorable exceptions
Messrs. VanEaton and Catchings
. voted for the bill, regardless O
the fact that Its passage was
blow aimed at one of the most el
tensive manufacturing interests Q
the South, the traffic in cotto
seed and cotton seed oil. Tn
movement in the products of CO,
ton seed is worth s2O,OOO,OO0 t
r S30,000,00O to the South annually
and the Southern farmer realize
from an article that was waste
and was really a nuisance befor
/. the manufacture of cotton seed o
+ was introduced. The greatest ou
let for cotton seed oil is In the maj
nfacture of oleomargarine. A Ia
upon the latter is a severe blow I
the farmer who has found in th
sale Of his cotton seed an impo
: tant source Of revenue which ha
aided him greatly in paying th
expenses of the farm.
The passage of this bill is
home thrust at the people of tb
South, and the Southern member
who voted for it have aided |
pushing the knife into the vitals
, their constituents. Their vote
calculated to pull down one
the greatest manufacturing inte
ests IN the South, 1t has adde
another to the heavy burdens
J !, the Southern farmer, by reducin
the price of one of the most vall
: able of his farm products, 1t hs
, the effect of depriving the poor {
one of their modest luxuries, an
: last and worse than all, it has Q
!, tablished a precedent for tn
: most oppressive form of suInpt
: airy legislation, and for the mo-
offensive form of protectio
!, = that of one home industry again
: another.
. We hope the bill will be defea
ed in the Senate, and that the Sc
,, ators from Mississippi will plat
, themselves by the side of thol
: clear.headed and honest represe
> tatives, Messrs. Van Eaton al
: !, Catchings, in both speaking al
:. voting against this unfortuna
: : aud mischievous aggression up'
. .he principles that have alwa
!. governed the Democratic party.
y 81 don't believe In the boyco