The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-05
THE CATTLE BILL.

notorious Cattle bill, and moved TO o'proceed to
its consideration, and bitter contest ensued.
One Senator, General Harry White, OF Indiana
county, spoke as folio VS. against the bill:-
MIR, speaker-lf this bill is not Infamous it
is certainly famous. 1t must be impor~
tant, because it has been pressed upon the
Legislature for the last six years, by self styled
benevolent individuals with varying success.
While it has always been glorided by the few
interested individuals it has always been
dreaded and denounced by the people of Phlla.
delphia and.ot Pennsylvania, where they knew
its character. 1t must be important hoEever,
because all legislative proceedings for the past
few days have been had with reference to this
bill. Although the session rapidly advances,
day before yesterday the attempt was made to
give this bill preference over the general ap'
preparation bill This was prevented only by
the enforcement o6 most salutary rule ot
our body. Yesterday, however, we held three
sessions, in the aggregate exceeding ten hours.
To-day we met at 10 o'clock, and II you
look at yGnder clock, you will observe it
is now a quarter OF s O'Clock. No ad.
journment for usual refreshment will be
| allowed by the friends of this bill, and. as
amendment after amendment, in the interest of
the public was offered by Senator's to different
| served around the hall the restive anxiety and
| impatience of the friends of this project They
seemed Jealous Of the time and care given to
the annual appropriation bill, lest the consider.
| alton of the darling Of their hearts might be
postponed. Sir, in view of these facts, this must
be an important bill, What is it? Common
rumor calls it "The Cattle Bill.n 1t, sir, is en-
titled "An Act to Incorporate the Philadelphia
Cattle Market Company, aud es ablish depot
for the sale of cattle, calves, sheep, and hogs in
the city of Philadelphia, aud TO provide for the
inspection of the same"
By reading the first section you will observe
that it plausibly and pretentiously recites as
folloWs:-"That for the protection of the cit-
zens, and persons doing business in the city of
Phila delpha, promoting the health thereof
providing against the sale of diseased meat
and to furnish facilities for the inspection, feed
ing, storage, and sale of animals in said city,
This benevolent recital is followed by carefully
drawn sections creating five gentlemen and
their associates close corporation, with power
10 hold real estate, establish depots for the re-
ception and ins pection of cattle, sheep, calves
anu hogs intended tor the Philadelphia market.
Added to these is a section making it misde
meanor, with heavy penalty, to expose for sale
in the city of Philadelphia the flesh of any ami
nal not weighed, inspected, and marked as
provided Tor in this act; thus giving the control
OF the trade in meats IN the city OF Philadel-
pbia TO a close corporation. The time was, sir
when close corporations were strangers to our
laws. In the earlier nistcry OF our legislation
they were unknown, or regarded as repugnant
to the genius OF our liberal institutions. Why,
cir, | remember, few years since, citizen of
my district applied TO the Legislature for the
incorporation OF steam grist.mill and it was
refused, because 1t was regarded az bad policy
to create corporation 10 manufacture aud
traffic in the prime necessity OF life. And yet
here it is proposed to create corporation, and
close at that to control and regulate the traffic
in all meats in the Philadelphia market, aud
to create an entire monopoly over tae cattle,
sheep, and hog trade of Philadelphia. To
create monopoly which can lay tribute upon
every consumer of mea5 in Philadelphia, and
upon every dealer who seeks the market OF that
great city with his live stock Tais is all to be
done on the seductive preteuson that II is for
the benefit of the health and comfort of the
people Of Philadelphia what meat hath this
Caesar fed upon that he has grown so great ?1
Now, sir, the gentlemen who appear upon this
bill are well known TO me; and while | would
not do them any uuklndness, | cannot think
dsinterested anxiety alone for the health of the
good people OF Philadelphia has brought them
here to give so much of their valuable time and
subject them to so heavy an expense in day
after day ,imporuning for The passage of this
be charged with. But, Sir Philadelphia is not
alone interested in this bill. Every man in
pennsylvania who raises hoof of stock for
the Philadelphia market is concerned against
its pas sage. The constituents of the Senator
from Beaver, the Senator IRON Allegheny, the
Senators from Mercer from Erie, from Butler,
IRON Fayette, from Chester and Mont
gomery and Bucks-indeed SIR from every
agricultural district OF the Com mon wealth,
IS deeply concerned against this measure. The
Senator from Beaver, MIR. Taylor, and the sena.
tor from Allegheny, Nj. Graham, have inquired
how their constituents are interested IN this
bill? Why, sir, do they know how many sheep
and cattle reared in Washington aud Allegheny
counties seek, over the Pennsylvania Railroad,
the Philadelphia market? The Philadel ohia
market is the destination of the great bulk OF
the cattle, sheep, and hogs of Western Pennsy.
Vania, and are not the dealers in the animals
affected by all restrictions on the trade? The
question answers itself. No restrictions uoon
the trade hear! Why, sir, by the fourteenth
section of your bill, the flesh OF no animal can
be sold in the Philadelphia market without
having been weighed and inspected in the yards
of this corporation. This. then, requires all
the live stock to go through these yards; when
once there by the tenth section the corporation
Is authorized TO charge two cents per hundred
weight for weighing aud inspecting cattle, and
| nVe cents per head for calves sheep and hogs;
In addition TO this, by the twelfth section they
are authorized to charge for yardage Afteen
GENTS per head for cattle per week and five
GEMS per head on calves, sheep, and hogs for
lhe same time. Ali these charges 10 be
pald oy the seller. Is this no restriction upon
The trade But, sir, this is not all. You
| WIN readily observe how indispensable
IL is Tor every man Who drives his stock to the
rnllauelphla Ii arket TO have the inspector in
! tnese yards approve lis ANIMALS. How prolific
| Ihls VIII be In combiua ions to levy black mail
| 1Tem the country dr) er, or compel sale at
| deprecated prices OF his car load of stock To
a taVorite OF these yards! Sir, can picture to
myself an honest fair dealer in nv apricnltn
raj district, with laud ,ble enterprise Catherine
| together ms caltie or sheep or hogs, shipping