The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-16
FIGHT LIKELY TO BE MADE ON
THE CoTToLENE PROHIBITION
BILL,
WHICH is ON THE CALENDAR
IN THE SENATE AWAITING IT'S
FINAL ACTION AFTER MANY
WEEKS.
MINNESOTA HOG COMPLAINS
That He Cannot Compete With th@
Cheap, HealthfuI Stearine and
COttOnseed Oil.

1t is probable that the HoImen bill
to prohibit the sale Of cottolene in Min
nesota, will not have as easy a time
in the senate today when it comes up
on the calendar as it did Wednesday,
when it was recommended to pass on
general orders without a word OF de-
bate.
The history of the bill has been
worthy Of remark in more ways than
one. With singular appropriateness,
it slipped through the house as though
it was CREASED. It's sponsor, Repre-
sentative Holmen, Of Murray county.
is understood to disown it, and ac-
credits it to Mr.. Anderson, who, he
says, requested him to introduce it.
It was passed early and came into the
senate.
Senator Lloyd, Of lie Sueur, spoke in
favor of it the first time it came up,
saying that cottOlene was driving the
suffering Minnesota hog out Of the lard
market, he not being able to produce
lard at competitive price and main
tain his self-respect. However this
may be, some aHege that the cottolene
is more expensive. than what Is called
lard in the open market but what Is
not always lard when strictly consider
ed.
When Senator Miller returned from
his home, Senator Lloyd pushed the
bill over on the Rock county man, who
had progress reported on 1t from day
to day until Wednesday, when he sug-
gested to the senate that the bill had
been on general orders long enough,
and he would not be particularly at
fected whether 1t chose to pass 1t or
kill it. This seemed to convince the
senate that there was no woodchuck in
it, for it sleepily recommended the bill
to pass by unanimous vote.
Some of the senators have come to
the belief. however, that the bill has
in it certain Objectionable elements. 1t
is not fathered by the state dairy and
food commissioner for that official, Hon.
Berndt Anderson, in his last biennial
report says plainly that it is not to be
feared so much as bogus lards, which
are sold fraudulently, while cottOlene
travels under it's real colors as a health
fui. scientific, artificial food product.
Here are Mr.. Anderson's exact words!
The law. as it now stands, allows lard that
partly of other fats, such as stearine or
cottonseed oil. or both to be sold on the
markets Of the state under certain conditions,
viz: that each package shall have firmly
affixed up it a label upon which is printed
in letters not less than one-half inch high
the words lard compound" or 'adulterated
lard /" and Immediately following the same,
in letters not smaller than long primer, the
name and appropriate proportions OF the sew
eral constituents contained in the mixture or
compound; and that the dealer shall furnish
the purchaser at the time Of sale card upon
which is legibly printed the name OF the artl-
Gle az herenbefore defined and a list Of the
several component parts of the mixture. Inc
above stated conditions being compiled with,
this article at once knocks at the doors OF
our markets and demands admission IN COM
petition with the legitimate and strictly pure
product.
By far the greater portion Of the lard placed
upon our markets is the product Of the pack
ing houses The farmers as a rule, sell their
hogs on foot, and consequently farmers lard
is very scarce article therefore the pack
ers enjoy monopoly Of the lard traffic Cot
tonseed Gil IS also entering into competition
with lard, and its influence has been felt
by the producers Of pure lard. COttoIene,
lard substitute composed Of beef suet and
cottonseed oil, is, by a provision in our law,
exempted from the provis ons governing other
lard substitutes, in that 1t is not required to
be branded as a lard substitute, but may
be sold under its name, "Cottolene." This
product has become very popular as sub
stitute, and has a very large sale.
Even more eloquent are the tables
contained in the report, which show
that while 100 samples Of bogus lard
were analysed by the department
chemist, not a single sample or cOttO-
lcne was examined. It's formula is
recognized by all food inspection de-
partments and It's sale is in compliance
with the laws. While lard sells for
from to 8 cents per pound, the cotto-
lene sells at 8, and if it is a competitive
product, it is because the people choose
to buy what they know Is an avoWed
compound of beef stearine and cotton
seed oil in preference to some hap
hazard mixture Of whose sanitary an
tecedents they know nothing
It is probable that the senators did
not realize exactly what they We're
voting for when they recommended the
bill to pass
1t is as follows:
State Of Minnesota-Thirtieth Session-H. #.
No. 138-Introduced by Mr.. Holmen, Jan.
20, 1897. Referred to committee on public
health, ETC. Reported back Feb "a, 1897.
A BILL
For an act to repeal an act relating to the
manufacture and sale of lard compounds and
substitutes being chapter 1876 Of the General
Laws of the state Of Minnesota for the year
1893. Approved April IA, 1893.
Be it enacted by the legislature OF the state
Section l. That chapter one hundred and
twenty-six Q26) Of General Laws of the state
of Minnesota for the year one thousand eight
hundred and ninety-three 1888, be and the
same is hereby repealed.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be In
force from and after it's passage.
The act which it proposes to repeal
shows by it's conciseness the repute in
which cottolene was held when it was
passed:
CHAPTER 1926 General Laws 1893:
Section l. That section II Of chapter II.
General Laws 1891 be amended by adding
thereto the following proviso: Provided.
however, that the provisions Of this act shall
not apply to cottolene compound consisting
Of mixture of beef stearine and refined cot
tonseed oil, when the fierce, barrel, ETC.,
containing same is properly labeled etc. And
that said cottolene shall not be manufactured
in imitation of lard and shall not contain
any substance deIeterious to health. APP
moved Anril IL 1899