The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-10
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LARD OF HOG AND SEED
THE RIVAL INTERESTS BREAK
ANOTHER LANCE.

Manufacturer Squire Spoken of as Be-
ing Behind the Times-ConfictinR
Claims as to the Comparative Health
fulness of the Different Products
Effect on the Export Trade.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-The hearing be-
fore the Senate Committee on Agriculture
on the bill to impose a tax on lard contain
ing anything except pure hogs fat was re-
sumed this morning. Judge Wilson, attor-
ney for John F. Squire 81 Co.. of Boston,
read petitions signed by large number of
manufacturers ard dealers IN pure
lard, urging the passage of the
bill; also several letters, together
with statement signed by the chairman
Of the Liverpool Produce Exchange, repre-
senting that there was want of confidence
in the purity OF American lard, aud that
consequently they often refraned from buy
ing il also letters from two cracker manu-
facturers of ST. Louis and Omaha, stating
that crackers i'll which was used lard COM
posed in part of cotton seed oil would be-
come rancid in a few days also a clipping
from the New York Journal Of COmmeTce
in which it is stated that the exports of lard
from the port of New York had fallen Off
56 000 600 pounds in the year 1887, as COM
pared with the year 1886.
PROTEST OF THE REFINERs.
Mr. Cromwell, attorney for the refined
lard manufacturers, said he had petition
from over 5000 persons stating that
''refined" lard was not an injurious article.
He said that it was not claimed that cotton
seed oil could be used for every purpose.
and he W uld admit that it was not 1T for
crackers. In behalf of the "refined" lard
industry and the cotton seed oil people rep
resentng in all $4,000 900 of invested
capital, he desired to protest against the
passage of a bill which was designed to
place 'refiredn lard in a degrading position
commercially
Mr.. Kimball, who was chief witness for
the proponents of the bill, had made the
following vital admissions: First, that re-
fined lard as made by well-known manufac-
turers was deleterlous to health; second,
that they could not Justify license tax,
and would be satisfied with the placing OF
the word compound on ''refined" lard in
packages; and third, that they would not
contend that cotton seed oil is injurious to
health.
CROMWELL DEFINES THE WORD.
Mr.. Cromwell then devoted himself to
defense Of the word "refined" as used by
his clients, contending that it was used by
no other branch Of the lard industry, and
that name had been built up for 'refined"
lard among dealers and consumers by
twenty five years of hard work. 1t was a
Islander to call such lard adulterated lard.
| TO adulterate meant TO debase. The
lard in which cotton seed oil was
| mixed was a superior article. The
| whole complaint was instigated by
| a man who was not as enterprising as his
rivals and wanted Congress to aid him in
| keeping his trade from them. As 70 the
| falling Off in the export trade via New
| York, he said the explanation was that
| Baltimore and Montreal captured trade
| New York lost. Mr.. Cromwell said that
the cotton seed oil industry was Of the
| greatest possible advantage to the Southern
! country. If there was anything deleterious
! in the production of the Fairbanks firm,
| foreign nations, who exercise such vigorous
scrutiny in all questions of food, would have
made adverse criticism. Nothing has been
| heard of this character from them. lie was
against ali such proposed legislation.
A STAMP A BLENIsH.
A legislative stanip would be a blemish.
In answer TO questions from members Of the
committee Mr. Cromwell said that they
would be forced TO bow TO any general
legislation, but that it would be perncious
and understandable course on the part of
Congress.
Judge Clapp, of Memphis, spoke in behalf
OF the cotton seed interest. This industry
be taken that would tend to suppress it.
Dr. Ames addressed the committee against
the proposed bill. He represented the cattle
interests, and said that if the bill became a
law it would mean loss of SOC. on each
head of cattle.
Richard Arnold, Vice President Of ths
Southern Cotton Oil Company, also spoke
against the bill. His company had invested
81, 125, 900 in cotton seed mills in the South.
The bill would practically cut off his com
pany's market.
A statement was read, signed by Armour
& Co., of Chicago, protesting against the
bill and commencing the character of the
compound lard product.
MERCHANTS PROTEST.
A protest from thirty prominent New
York merchants was presented against the
| bill.
Mr. Caruth, of Arkansas, representing
producers of cotton seed, made an impas-
| stoned argument against the passage Of the
bill and especially against the imposition OF
a tax. The people Of this country were
getting very tired Of internal taxation. Ii
this thing went on the sugar men would
want protection against glucose, and so
with every other industry. The bill was
| paternalism run mad. II would work great
injury to the cotton seed industry Of the
| South. lie concluded: "rhe cotton seed oil
business is our chief industry. We havenS
got much, and, for Gods sake, don't taks
away that little"
AN oLD-TIME MANUFACTURES.
Joel A. Sperry, of the firm of Sperry &
Barnes, of New Haven, who had been in the
business of manufacturing lard for forty
! five years, said that he had no objections to
lard OF which cotton seed oil was an ingre-
dienU, but that it was fraud to sell it as
| lard made from hogs. Cotton seed oil lard,
| il it was as good as hogs fat, would be
| bought by the consumer as such. AT pres
emit the retailer bought the compound lard
cheaper than he could buy the real lard,
and made an extra profit by selling it as
hogs lard. Let hog, steer, and cotton
seed oil stand on their merits. He
sold his lard as "pure, refined lard,
and the name for refined lard had been built
up in the last twenty years by making an
| extra good article; but now certain manu-
| facturers put other things than hogs fat
| into lard. and wanted to retain the old
name. His export trade had also fallen of
owing to complaints of the quality OF
American lard generally.
Further hearing was postponed for several
weeks.