The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-28
The Manufacturers of Refined Lard Easily
Hold Their Own Against the Pure-Lard
People, and Are Now Trifie in the Lead.
Mr.. Bartle Declares He Is Able to Sub.
stantiate by Proof All He Has Said.
Yesterdays Proceedings of the international
Council of Women--Exercises in Honor
of the Late Chief-Justice Waite.
THE ROW ABOUT LARD.

The Investigation Takes q Wide Scope, and
Il Likely 60 React ON Its Instigators.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. March 27-The Investigation
being conducted by the House COMMITTEES on
agriculture into the manufacture Of the various
grades of lard, with view to legislation upon
the subject, has taken much wider scope, aud
is having a very different effect than was
originally intended The great trouble with
many OF the congressional investigations is that
there is no fixed programme or limit, and full
rein is given, and the greatest latitude is al
lowed peopls who come to testify. Instead of
the testimony being exclusively confined to the
healthfulness and nutrition of the articles which
60 into the manufacture of compound or refined
lard. which is the legitimate scope of the in
vestgation, men have been permitted to take
the witness stand. and testify to all branches
OF the hog trade. 1t may be that there is some
legitimacy about this in view OF the fact that In
their efforts to show that refined lard is not
wholesome the advocates of the bill have al
tackled this trade from every possible elevation.
Tha defense has naturally sought to show that
the advocates of the measure, who are manu-
facturers of what is purported to be lard from
portions of the hog only, use all kinds Of vile
matter
When the lard refners were attacked they
naturally began assault upon the industry
which assailed them, and, as a consequence they
began to show wnat the people who were fight
ing them were making out of the hog. They
have shown that into the manufacture of prime
steam lard, or leaf lard, goes every particle of
the unclean hog and they have also shown that
diseased and dead hogs, and crippled hogs, and
hogs in every possible state of unwholesomsness
are used not only in the manufacture of what ia
all k.a lo~S A..Ax
all kinds Of meats, even to hams, and shoulders.
and bacon, and salt pork. The tendency of all
this has been TO debase the American hog prod
uct, and to such an extent that ID has alarmed
pork packers, and they crying a halt.
There is no doubt that the defendants have
painted their opponents backar than thev
should be, but it was probably their only line Of
defense. If half of the testimony which has
been taken against the pork packers was pub
liehed in foreign countries there would be M
doubt about American pork and lard being ex-
cluded frogn foreign markets. I am told that
the German and French, and one or two other
ministers In Washington, have regularly sent to
the Capitol for copies of the printed tes tmony in
the investigation, and have forwarded them to
their foreign home offices, and that they ara
preparing special report on the American hog
and It's manufacture, which will be transmitted
for action to the countries they represent.
II this thing is worked up. as it probably will
be, the effect will be legislation, which will ex.
clude our pork from many of the countries
where II Is now accepted. This would be mani
festly unjust because the pork exported from
this country Is as hsalthful and clean as tnat
marketed anywhere
The outlook of the whole business is that the
pork packers, in their efforts TO break down the
manufacturers of refined lard, will destroy them-
selves. They have carried the thing too far
The investigation seems to have gone to limit
they cannot control The only salvation there
seems to be for the American hog export trade
is TO postpone legislation. If there should be
specific legislation against this compound lard
manufactnre at this time it will point out to for
eign countries the fact that in this country,
where the article is made. it is regarded sus.
piciously. and calls for specific legislation. Is
will further impress foreign countries that there
is something wrong in our whole manufacture
OF hog products. 1t is generally believed now
that there will be a postponement Of the aues-
tion till report is received from the Agricult-
ural Department on the subject OF food adulteraa
ton. and then the whole question will be legis-
lated upon. This will obviate the necessity OF
stigmatizing any distinct American industry,
and yet will have the effect of bringing about
that federal supervision that In sought by the
bill which is now before the committee on aHri-
culture in the two houses OF Congress- just at
present the fat seems to have all been kicked in
the fire.