The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-29
The Purposes of the Lard Bill.

/ II is intended that the compound lard bill,
| known as the Conger bill, which was passed
/ by the House yesterday. shall serve two
| purposes. One is TO destroy the compound
lard business and the other Is to help the re-
publicaas in the fall elections.
The bill is something like the oleomar-
garine bill It provides for the inspection,
taxing and branding of compound lard,
which is largely composed Of cotton seed
oil, southern product Those who are
behind it, and have been persistently lobby
ing for it for months, claim that IL is in the
interest Of pure food That claim, however.
Is not urged in the presence Of those who
know all about compound lard and hogs
lard IL was shown, when the committee
on agriculture was considering the bill, that
there was no more wholesome article of
food than cotton seed oil. 1t is not only
pure article Of food and very nutritious, but
there Is no danger of Its producing diseases
OF any kind. II is doubtful if as much can
be said of hogs lard. Hogs are subject to
diseases OF various kinds, and there is rea-
son for thinking that lard from diseased
hogs is frequently put upon the market
number Of pork packers and lard
manufacturers, finding that compound lard
was getting very popular with the people,
concocted this scheme to tax it, and if
possible, TO bring it into disrepute They
knew that the taxing and branding of
oleomargarine had greatly lessened the
production of that article. and they be-
lieved that taxing and branding would
have the same effect upon compound lard.
The compound lard bill, therefore, is class
legislation. II is an effort to use the gov
eminent to build up one industry at the
expense of another.
There is no doubt that If the bill should be-
| come law the compound lard industry
would be injured and the demand for cotton
! seed oil would fall off. That is a matter of no
consequence, however, to the hog lard man
ufacturers, nor to the republican party.
Indeed, the hog lard manufacturers would
be happy if they could drive cotton seed oil
out of the market as an article of food. II
would be strange however. if congress should
| help them TO do it AS for the republican
| party, it expects the compound lard bill to
help it to get majority of the next House.
1t has no sta lding in the south, and, there
fore, it cannot be injured by legislation
hostile to a great southern product 1t ex-
poets to be helped, however, by legislation
that hurts a southern product and at the
same time promises to benefit a northern
product. All through the north the farmers
will be told that the value of their hogs will
be greatly increased by the passage of
the compound lard bill, and they
will also be told that that bill is a
republican measure, aud is supported by
republican congressman. AS matter of
fact the farmers will get very little. if any,
benefit from the bill, even if it should
become law Its benefits would go into
the pockets of the hog lard manufacturers.
That fact, however will be carefully con-
cealed from the farmers.
There is a chance that the bill will not
pass the Senate, at least this session. Some
of the republican senator's are opposed to it.
They are not asking the people for re-
election this fall, and, therefore, they don't
feel forced to 3untenanee such outrageous
class legislation. Senator Paddock has a
bill, the purpose of which is to assist the
people in getting pure food. 1t is much
more popular with good many of the re-
publican senator's than the Conger bill 1t
may be substituted for the Conger bill when
the latter bill comes before the Senate
There is certainly no justice in trying to de-
prive people of so pure and wholesome an
article of food as cotton seed oil