The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-02
COMPOUND LARD BILL.
STRONG REASONS WHY THE BILL
SHOULD NOT BE PASSED.

cononound Lard Purer than Hogs
Ia-d-why the Congsr Bill Would
Ep-t ths Cotton Farmers-Why the
Bill Should be Defeated.
The following from one of thu leading
cotton seed oil men of Savannah shows
why the Conger compound lard bill is mis-
cbievous legislation:
The agricultural committee have, by its
majority, favorably reported the COM
no1nd lard bill to congress. They say in
their report that the object of the bill is:
1. To secure pure food for the consumer.
. To alleviate the condition of the farmer
nv increasing the price of lard, or words to
that effect The first-named proposition is
eminently proper and desirable, but the
hill fails to secure the desired eud, as will
he shown later. The second proposition is
NOT fully or fairly stated. The effect of the
hill will be to assist one set of farmers at
the expense of another set of farmers.
IF q pure and acceptable lard can be made
from cotton seed oil and beef stearine,
combined in way that people are accus-
toned TO use for cooking fat, cheaper than
rom swine, so much the better for farmers
who grow cotton seed aud beef, and so much
the better for consumers.
There is to-day no confusion or deception
in the matter. Some communities prefer
tie hog lard, aud pay an average of l cent
uer pound more for ii. others prefer the
cheaper article and buy compound lard,
knowing what they get.
Hog lard is prepared in large factories,
Is well as compound lard. Lard is, In this
country, manufactured from four ingredi-
ents. l. Leaf lard, made from the fat, lin
ing the stomach OF swine. 2. Swine fat,
rendered from all parts OF swine. 3 Beef
stearine, made from beef fat f. Cotton
seed oil. OF these leaf lard alone contains
the proper proportion without manipulation
Of OIL (swine) and stearine to produce that
form Of cooking fat, to which, in this coun-
try, we are accustomed; but the fact that
these ingredients (oil and stearine) are nat
urally mixed in convenient proportions
gives no guarantee Of their purity. But the
fact that swine are more liable TO diseases
which can he transmitted than either cattle
or cotton seed, seems to put the burden of
proof of purity on manufacturers of hog
lard, rather than manufacturers OK com
pound lard.
Swine fat contains more oil and less stea-
rine than leaf lard, but manufac ;urers
of hog lard, by manipulating overcome this
difficulty, and sell it as hog lard which con-
suuers csnnot tell from leaf lard
ne eNkQ6GCe DSAOlC bIo dl COUl-
mittee in congress, two years ago. when a
bill similar to the ConGer bill was under
consideration, and when, by the way, full
time was given for both sides of the Ques-
ton TO be discussed. seemed to SHOW that
greed Of gain, overcomes the Conscientious
scruple3 Of the lard manufacturer in pro-
ducing and manipulating this same swine
fat. All the disgusting suggestions of adul-
teration; all the unpleasant evidence, that
r1rradianfQ mead in ha,
facture Of lard, referred altogether TO swine
fat.
If, then, this is the ingredient in which
impurities are most liable to occur, it GER
tainly should be subject to government in
spection, whether used in the establishment
manufacturing compound lard or hog lard
hut if tine present bill passes, the man ufact-
ure OF compound lard will be subject to not
only inspection, but tax, while the manu-
cturer of hog lard can use the most OBJ
jectionable of all ingredients and be free
from inspection or tax.
Beef stearine and cotton seed oil have
only recently been used in the manufacture
of lard
The purity and nutritious value of cotton
sect oil is now generally admitted. Govern
Inent experts have pronounced favorably
upon it, and its general acceptability is
demonstrated by the large and increasing
consumption, both in this country and in
Europe
Beef stearine made from the choice fat of
beef is unquestionably more apt to be pure
than the same article from swine. These
two ingredients make compound lard, which
meets the demand for a pure cooking fat
ia the form that we are accustomed to use
Because it is a pure article of food, and be-
cause it is satisfactory to consumers, and
because the supply is large the price of lard
has been reduced to the consumer so per
cent in the last ten years, and because the
price of all lard has been reduced, the Con-
ger bill has been devised to surround its
manufacture and sr'c with such expense
and difficulties, as will either prohibit its
manufacture, or so increase the expense, as
TO tax the whole people, for the benefit, it is
claimed, of western farmers, but chiefly for
the manufacturers of hog lard.
The advocates of the Conger bill seem ia
disclaim any attack on the purity of cotton
seed oil, and suggest that it should be sold
on its own merits. The difficulty in the
way of following this disiuterested advice is
t4oat the American people are not, to any
large extent, consumers of oil, except for
table purposes, which offers an outlet for q
very small amount
For cooking fat, the demand requires that
it be put on the market in the form to
which we are accustomed.
The manufacturers Of hog lard, the
farmers VINO grow hogs End the part OF the
public who prefer hog lard should be salts
lied with Law which would draw a clear
line of demarkation between hog lard and
compound lard.
This law should provide for the careful
government inspection of all kinds of lard
IA manner which would accomplish the
desired results, viz, specification of ingre-
dlents and purity of product. with the least
possible annoyance to the public and the
least possible obstruction to trade.
Such law can be easily devised, and if
congress has in view the greatest good to
the greatest number it should be passed
readily.
GEORGIA THRIFT.