Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-08
PURE FOOD IN FAVOR
By Some Congressman, While Others
Attack the Move That Way.
ARGUMENT OF SENATOR BERRY,
Who Says the Bills Backed BY Those Who
Fear Cottonseed oil
As 4 RIVAL TO THE LARD INDUSTRY


hours session of the Senate to-day was con-
sumed in the presentation Of petitions, most
of them of q stereotyped character from re-
ligious associations for the closing of the
Worlds Fair on Sundays, and from State
oranges on various subjects of proposed
legislation. Among the bills introduced
and referred was one by Mr. Sawyer to au-
thorize the establishment of q postal tele-
graph service. It,authorizes the Postmaster
General, upon the advice and approval Of
the Secretary of the Treasury and Attorney
General, to contract with any person, COM
pany or corporation owning or operating
telegraph lines for the transmission OF cor
respondence, press dispatches and postal
money orders at such rates as may be
agreed upon by the contracting parties, not
to exceed the rates now charged for similar
messages
Mr.. Morgan moved to reconsider the vote
to retain his seat. He said his sole purpose
was that Southern Senatop-all of whom
we're excluded from the chamber when the
act of 1886 was passed-should have @ right
to say something as to the proper construc-
tion of that act under the Constitution.
After a colloquy between Mr.. Morgan and
Mr.. Teller the motion was laid aside tenn
porarily, as was also motion by Nj. Nor
gan to reconsider the vote by which Mr..
Claggett's claim was rejected.
Power of Big Corporation.
The resolutions heretofore offered by Mr.
Call, in respect to railroad companies in
Florida influencing the Senatorial election
of 1891, and for the opening to settlement
of the railroad land reservations in that
State, were taken up, and Mr.. Cali ad-
dressed the Senate upon them. He spoke
Of the tribute exalted from the people of
the United States by railroad corporations
q tribute larger in amount, he said, than
twice the total cost of the Civil War-and
of the influence exercised by them in Flor
ida where the administration of justice was
prostituted to them, and where DEGREES and
decisions were rendered by the courts, in
relation to the public lanhs, without a
shadow of lawful authority, and in the in
terest, solely, of individual and corporation
land owners.
At the close of Mr.. Calls remarks the
resolution as to railroad lands in Florida
was referred to the Committee on Public
Lands, and the other resolution was al |
lowed to remain on the table. The pure
food bill was then taken up, and Mr.. Berry |
the Senate. He ascribed the |
motive of the bill to the syndicates who |
the lard industry of the country |
and who sought to put down the cottonseed |
oil industry, which completes with them and |
brought to the Southern States SIS, 000, 900 |
= year. It was not because those syndicates |
cared whether the food used by the people |
was pure or impure, but because they found |
that they could not charge the price they |
mad been charging and compete with the |
oil industry.
Challenged in a Hurry.
Mr.. Paddock challenged Mr.. Berry to |
point out single provision in the bill that
would favor one industry at the expense of |
any other industry.
Mr.. Berry replied that if the parties in
terested in the lard business could induce
he Secretary of Agriculture to use the
powers which the bill would confer upon
him to pronounce against the purity of cot
tonseed oil, that industry would be crushed
ind driven out Of the market and competi-
ion against the lard industry would be de-
'troyed.
Mr.. Palmer expressed his sympathy with
he purpose Of the bill. That purposes
described by Mr. Paddock-was to purify
,f Illinois had laws to punish the sale
If adulterated food and drugs; and those
avs, If enforced, were entirely adequate
or the purpose. It was to be regretted,
however, that they we're not thoroughly en-
orced. He conceded that it was within the
bower Of Congress to regulate Interstate
and to prevent the introduction
,f adulterated food and drugs into State
rom other States or from foreign countries,
md what he regretted was that the bill had
lot been happily arranged. Looking at the
of the bill he was inclined to sup
,ort 1t. Some of the sections of the bill he
vas prepared to support, but others he
hought were unnecessary and should be
Eliminated.
Several Provisions Criticized.
Mr.. Palmer went on to analyze and criti-
ize several provisions in the bill. He re-
retted the fact that instead Of enforcing
xisting laws, the tendency was to enact
lew ones They argued feebleness cfpub-
10 spirit which was greatly to be deplored,
nd the pending bill was subject to that OBJ
ection. He dreaded the bill because il left
o much to the discretion of the Secretary
f Agriculture. Congress and the people
7ould never know what the law was until
he Secretary of Agriculture declared it,
hat was dangerous power, which he
yould not entrust to any public officer.
In conclusion, Mr.. Palmer said that the peo-
lie OF the States could take care of their |
wn rights in the local sale and use of food
nd drugs. He granted that they could not
ontrol Interstate transportation, and that
be power of Congress in that respect was
most salutary power. But it had to be |
ept within its just limits. He protested
gainst portions Of the pending bill, how
yer, as establishing the most rigid in |
pection of food and drugs, under the pre-
snse of regulating Interstate commerce.
Tnless the bill should be amended to the !
xtent suggested by him he would vote
,ainst 1t.
The question was then taken on Mr..
oke's motion (made some days ago), to
rike out sections and 8. The vote re- ,
llted: Yeas, IS; nays, 16; no quorum, and
le Senate adjourned.