Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-08
IMPURITIES OF LARD.
An ABLE MESSAGE FROM TIE GOVERNOR
ON THIs SUBJECT.
BE vetoes the Bill introduced by Mr. Me-
Caudlish, Of Petersburg-Informa
tion for the Public.

Governor Lee sent TO the House of
Delegates yesterday the following mes
sage:
10 the House Of DelcgaftS
| have the honor to return without
my signature House Bill AZ, benz an
"act to prevent fraud in the sale of
lard"
The act prohibits the sale by any per
son Of any article intended for use as
lard in any vessel bearing label with
the words "pure, "Tciined, family"
or either Of them alone or in combina-
iion with other words, unless it is the
"purc fat Of the swme." When this is
not the case the vessel containing it
must be marked on the top or the outer
side in letters not less than one half an
inch in length compound lard" Any
pIson violating this act shall be pun
ishcd hy fine not exceeding $50 for the
first or 800 for any subsequent offence
My objections are that the act rs
framed WIl, Gs a law, he imperative, be-
cause no provision is made Tor such an
inspection as will properly determine
whether the lard received by the Virginia
merchants and marked "refined" or
"iamily" or "purc is the "pure fat
OF the swine" or whether it shall be
marked compound lard" before it is
resold. 1t is clear III order to carry out
the conditions Of this bill it would re-
quire an innumerable number OF in
spectors, for an expensive chemical
analysis would be necessary In each
case, and even then it is most diff
cult to ascertain what Is the "pure fat
of the swine ] am informed that
nearly four tifths OF all the lard put on
the market is not the "pure fat of the
swine, but Is purpOsely mixed with
other ingredients, IN themselves pure
and harmless, and which promote the
taste, transportation, and the preserva-
ton of the lard. 1t Is well known that
the "pure fat of the swine" without
such compouuding will not keep in warm
climates, but will melt. run out the
sscls, and bc lost.
Cottou-seed oil is now one Of the in
gradients largely entering into the COM
position Of lard. In the opinion Of many
the more cottonseed oil and less fat of
swine in the compounded article the
better the quality of the lard. Indeed
experiments are now i'll progress to as
certain whether lard cannot he made
from cotton-seed oil alone which it is
claimed would be more palatable and
less expensive than lard made from hog
fat. am informed thgt OF the various
brands of lard now offered for sale by
our merchants that the purchaser has
his option OF buying the "pure fat OF
the swine" or lard compounded with
other substances and that nearly four
tifths of the sales are Of compounded
lard. But apart from these reasons the
bill, should II become law, would
operate most unequally and oppressiyely
upon Virginia / am informed
that some 10000, 900 pounds of lard are
received here per aunum, about 5000
900 of which is sold III North and South
Carolina. it can be easily demonstrated
that If these packages have TO be broken
open, inspected 10y chemists, and re-
marked before being sold again, that
such restrictions placed upon our mer-
chants would eliminate from this
market the trade IN that article. As
q general thing l believe that inspection
laws are restrictions on trade. operate
iuiuriouslv, and should be abolished.
Indeed the Virginia State Agricultural
Society so declared after an exhaustive
discussion twenty-five years ago, and
the State has been returning since to
the safer ground that the purchaser Of
most articles must depend upon his own
Judgment aud that OF the seller and
not on the certificate OF an Inspector.
The Legislature has just changed the
compulsory inspection laws 80 far as
they refer to flour ana fish. Why should
they follow that with such legislation as
will compel an inspection of lard?
return the bill therefore to the
House for their reconsideration; for
while it will undoubtedly promote and
encourage, at some expense to the
State, the science OF chemistry, regard
it as an act to prevent our merchants
from having that trade in this com
modify which States ENJOY who have no
such restrictive laws rather than an act
to prevent fraud in its sale.
FTZHUGH LEE.
Mr.. McCandiish Nepublican), of
Petersburg, moved to pass by and print
Lost.
Mr.. McCandlish said that the bill was
an exact copy of the Massachusetts, law,
aud that it seemed very odd to him that
any one should say that an adulterated
article was better than pure one. The
bill had passed both the committee and
Al .tl 7 oil
without debate.
Mr.. Pollard: "That's the reason it
was vetoed
Mr. Mayo (Republicam said he
thought the objections of the Governor
as to the inspections insufficient.
The roll was then caIledand the House
being of the opinion that the Governors
reasons were good and sound sustained
the veto 10y vote of IS to 26.