The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-05-18
Cosolfdated Aug. 2. 1881.
COTTON SEED OIL INDUSTRY.
A Correspondent Believes that the
Business is in Dire Extremity.

lO 6Q0 GO1vOI OAO NoooO
The present unsatisfactory condi-
tion Of the cotton seed oil business
call for some very serious thought on
the part of those now engaged IN the
business and also deserves the close
scrutiny of those about to embark in
the business. The growth of this IN
dustry has indeed been most remarka-
BILE and up until the present time
there has been unusually, with we'll
conducted and we'll located mills,
splendid returns from the same.
Because of the superiority of the cot
ton seed oil over most other fats, and
in spite Of a great deal of prejudice
against its use, It's high intrinsic
value has forced it prominently upon
the markets of the world. Hundreds
of thousands of pounds Of this oil are
now used in the manufacture Of oleo-
margerine, butter, compound lards.
etc., while millions Of pounds of oil
have been shipped annually from the
United States to foreign countries,
and used there principally as an edible
oil. Only q year or two ago there
was shipped alone from America to
Marseilles, France, oil worth to the
American manufacturers about 81, 0O0,-
600; so you can realize something OF
the enormous export from this country
to this one port. France is the home
Of the olive, consequently it was there
that the olive oil industry hourished
more than in any other country. Be-
cause of the superiority and cheapness
Of the American cotton seed oil the
olive orchards of southern Europe
have almost been annihilated. This
of course brought great hardship to
this particular industry, especially in
France. The French government,
realizing this fact, felt that some
thing must be done to save the indus
try and has lately imposed an import
tax of something like 10 cents a gal
lon upon American cotton oil pro-
ducts, so that today the French market
is almost entirely closed to the
cotton seed oil business. Other for
eign countries are doing the same, 50
that today our exports in the cotton
seed oil business are almost nil.
AS an incident to the falling off of
our foreign trade in oil I. will quote
some figures. In 1901 Italy took some
thing. over $500, 600 gallons of oil;
now She takes 1000, 00O or less. Aus
tria at the same time took about
1900, 600 gallons Of oil; now she takes
less than 1, 500, 900. France took at
the same time about 20, 600, 900 gallons
of Oil; now about 5000, 600. This
leaves tremendous amount to be ab-
,sorbed by the United States. as with
other countries there is like falling
off also. Thus it can easily be seen
| why it is the cotton seed oil is now
selling so far below its usual selling
| price.
While this is blow at the cotton
seed oil business, our own country has
given the industry its greatest blow.
There has been enacted lately by the
United States congress a law taxing
cotton seed oil to the amount Of 10
cents per pound for all oil used in the
manufacture of butter. This law was
enacted at the instigation of those in
this country who were in the dairy
| business. We have no fight to make
with the butter makers, but would
simply say that it is hard for one to
realize why this prejudice against but
ter made partly or entirely of cotton
seed oil. Especially is this true when
the department of agriculture and
chemistry has repeatedly stated that
for purity and healthfulness there is
nothing to be compared with cotton
seed oil. This taxing of oil that is
used in butter has struck another
great blow at the industry.
The third great demand for the oil
/ is for the manufacture of compound
! lard. Tremendous quantities Of this
oil are used in the manufacture of
lard, and even this demand for oil
has slackened off very largely.
would respectfully submit the fact to
the consumers of all pure food pro-
ducts Of this country, that for health
fulness and parity, the butter made
from the average dairy herd of COWS,
many Of which may be, and often are,
afflicted with tuberculosis, can in
40 way compare with butter made
from the pure vegetable Oil. Cotton
seed is never attacked by disease,
which cattle are often heir to. What
I have said Of the butter business can
be emphasized many times over with
regard to the lard business. There can
be no doubt but when the average
farmer feeding hogs for market detects
cholera among his hogs that they are
rushed off to the slaughtering pens
and slaughtered, and placed upon the
markets, and from hogs, many times
diseased, comes our average meat and
so-called pure lard. I would repeat
what said above, the pure vegetable
oil made from cotton seed is never
afflicted with cholera or any disease
to which the average hos is subject.
There are many other uses to which
the cotton seed oil is put, but l will
forbear to discuss them in this article.
AS long as the foreign governments
continue to tax cotton seed oil and so
long as our government continues it's
unjust course towards the oil bust
ness, then just as long will the cotton
seed oil business in oar country be on
the decline. 1t is only within the last
few months that these embargoes have
been laid upon the industry and up to
| tive oo%%o- ,ool - ILL