Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-11
COMPOUND LARD.
Argument of COlOred SOuthernerS
Against Taxing 1t.
Why Not Tax the Western Hog
as Well as Cotton Seed?

the house committee on agriculture
Wednesday reopened the hearing of the
Conger iard eompound bill and the But
terworth anti-option bill, both OF which
have been reported to the house with ia
vorable recommendations. On the first
named bill Messrs. A. Graves, represent
ing the Georgia Agricultural association,
and j. Pennoyer Jones, representing the
colored cotton farmers and planters of
Arkansas, both colored men, made argu-
ments against its passage.
Mr.. Graves pleaded for the protection
of the cotton seed industry against the
imposition of the burdens contained in
the bill, on the ground that it had con
tributed more than anything else to i'm
prove the condition of the colored
farmer and laborer of the south.
Mr.. Jones, in the course of his re-
marks, said
If the cotton seed oil must be taxed,
why not tax the western hog? Why
break down one industry of the country
that another industry should be pro-
tected? Gentlemen of the
committee, this bill, stripped of all
guise, resolves itself into this condition
the western hog against the southern
negro, which will win?
"There is another phase of this in
dustry. There are supposed to be over
200 oil mills, mostly located in the
south They employ somewhere in the
neighborhood of 10000 persons. More
than three-fourths of this great number
of employees are colored men. 1t would
be safe to say that there are at least
three persons who rely upon each of
these 70, 600 persons for their support
and living from this enterprise. The
wages paid to these people aggregate
So, 500, 900 at the least calculation. The
passage of this bill would close up many
of these mills and throw thousands of
dependent people out of employment,
and entail hardship and want upon
people who are least able to stand it.
And all this to protect the western hog, y
Opposition to Hutterworth's Bill.
Messrs Counselman and Murray Mel
son, of the Chicago board of trade, APP
peared to oppose the Butterworth anti
option bill Mr.. Counselman occupied
all the time of the committee. He stated
that he Endorsed both in letter and spirit
the provisions of the first section of the
bill forbidding any privileged or class
dealing. That was a rule OF the board
of trade. The second section, which for
bids the dealing by any one but the pro
ducer and the purchaser direct from him,
in any article not in the possession of the
seller, wiped out of existence the bust
ness of himself and all legitimate dealers
as well as the illigitimate.
Mr.. Courselman was asked if he could
suggest any way by which the illegiti.
mate speculation could be prescribed
without affecting the legitimate, and
said he could not without time to con-
slider the subject The passage of the
bill, Mr.. Counselman said, would dam
age the farmer more than it could posi-
bly, aid him. If the producer could sell
direct to the consumer the farmers of
Kansas and Nebraska, instead of re-
caiving ten and fifteen cents a bushel
for corn this winter, which was little
enough, would not have received five
cents bushel There must be middle
men to handle the crops between the
producer and the consumer. He ad
Vanced large sums of money to farmers
on their crops, relieving present necessi-
ties and enabling them to hold their
grain for rise in prices.
The trouble that was sought to be al
leviated by the bill arose from the deal
ings in bucket chops, which We're in
existence all over .he land, and whose
proprietors make their livelihood by a
reduction in prices. To effect this reduc-
ton the combined bucket shop power
seeks to influence the prices ON the floor
of exchanges in the country, and it has
been successful. As far as it could the
Chicago board of trade has been fighting
bncket shops, which the speaker likened
to faro banks, the proprietor being the
dealer
In answer to questions by members of
the committee. Mr. Counselman set
forth the difference between transac-
tons on the board of trade and in buck
ct shops. In the latter there was no in
tention or ability to deliver anything it
was a gambling transaction pure and
simple on the tluctuation in prices.
Board of trade transactions were en-
forceable; they were based upon the
actual existence of the article traded in,
and the actual delivery of them was
made Mr.. Counselman was given a
copy of the amended bill to study, with
view to suggesting provision, If pos
sible, by which legitimate dealers in
grain and farm products may be protect
ed and the business of the Legitimate
spectators prohibited and abolished.
Other Interests Want to BE Heard.
Representative Butterworth's bill to
tax dealers in options and futures on ag-
ricultural products seems to have at last
stirred up those it is aimed at This is
somewhat singular, As the measure has
been widely advertised ever since its in
PRODUCTION, and freely discussed, both in
the public press and i'll the house com
| mittee on agriculture: but for some rea-
son. perhaps indifference or belief that
! nothing would come of it, none of the
! dealers in futures or options made any
! effort to be heard on the subject while
the bill was pending in committee. 1t
has been favorably reported and Is now
| on the house calendar awaiting its turn
for action.
1t has TO all purposes been passed out
! of the hands of the committee to which
! it was referred. yet at this late day a re.
quest is received from the members OF
me produce and cotton exchanges in New
| York, and from the cotton exchange in
! New Orleans for n hearing Chairman
Funston will of course grant the hearing
asked for. but ii viii do the delegations
and the exchanges no good so fan as the
committee is concerned. The Butter
worth bill has passed through the initial
stages Of legislation. where amendment
or argument would have been much
easier than il will now be in the house
In response to the requests for hearings
the committee ON agriculture viii hold q
special session ON Friday next, but th'
chairman does not see that it will accom-
p.ish anything, except perhaps, TO ge