The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-04-12
THE MEAT INSPECTION BILL.

The New York assembly has passed
by good majority ameat inspection
bill similar to the one now before the
Minnesota House. The Chicago Inter-
Ocean is opposing these Kind Of meas
ures, claims they are only in the inter
ests of local butchers, who not having
the facilities for utilizing every part of
the slaughtered animals possessed by
the Chicago packing concer rms, can not
successfully compete with the latter,
who by paying higher prices are enabled
to get the pick of the choice cattle. 1t
also claims that the inspection bills pro-
posed will have no other effect than to
reduce the price which the farmer now
obtains for his cattle, while the price of
dressed beef to the consumer will be
raised. The Inter Ocean does not 90 in
to an extended explanation of how this
is to occur, however. And, leaving the |
farmers out of the question, fit comes to
choice between giving several thous-
and butchers in Minnesota a paying
business or affording monopoly to
the "Big Four" we should unhesitating-
" prefer to see our own people grow
rich and let the Armours live on the
interests of the big fortunes they have
already accumulated. But rs to the
farmers, we can not comprehend how
the prices or market forMinnesota cattle
raisers is to be lowered if the home de-
mand is increased several hundred daily,
AZ would undoubtedly be the case if
the foreign dressed beef Was shut out.
This brings us back to the consumer,
with the pertinent query, how can cat
tie be shipped to Chicago, dressed, and
reshipped to Minnesota, and the meat
be retailed cheaper than if slaughtered
right at home? Perhaps the Armours
can explain all these difficulties
haps that is what the special car of the
"Big Four" is at st. Paul for. IL SO, we
shall all be glad, but it will be hard to
convince the farmer and Woodworking
butcher that the representatives of the
big beef monopoly are here III anybody's
interests but their own. Possibly, these
proposed inspection laws exhibit a mar
row, selfish policy, but it should be re-
membered that such methods are the
only kind the people have with which
to deal with the fast multiplying trusts.
1t should be carefully considered,
however, before the bill now b sfore the
! legislature is passed whether it cannot
be amended 80 as to do away with some
of the features which are of doubtful ex-
pedIency. For instance, the bill pro-
vides for the appointment of zone or
more" inspectors in each county, whose
duty il shall be to inspect, while alive,
all animals that are TO be killed for food,
and the sale of any meat not 40 inspect
ed is prohibited. Such law would
be somewhat too sweeping as it would
deprive the farmer of rights which it
will be recognized are inslienable his
own. 1t would also, we fear, soon have
among local butchers which might be as
troublesome as the big ones at Chicago
and Kansas City. This, however, We
think, would largely regulate itself as
there are too many towns and too many
butchers in the state to allow a very
successful monopoly of that kind. The
provision, however, that would prevent
farmer from slaughtering his own beei
and selling quarter to his neighbor un'
less he had it passed upon by an inspec.
tor is clearly wrong, and doubtless un.
constitutional. The main object of those
pushing this legislation should be to pre-
vent the introduction of foreign dressed
beef and thus furnish a home market
for the large surplus of cattle which are
now shipped to distant cities. A meas
ure effecting such change would be o.
real benefit to the farmer, and those
members who make the ills of the agri
! culturist specially, should be able tc
revise the Scheffer bill or bring in a new
one that would bring about good results
: without infringing upon the rights o.
: anybody, or injuring the very Interest,"
q they seek to benefit.
If it is impossible to improve the bill
: it would appear to be the best policy t.
give it trial as it now is. There is al
:, ways great objection to all reforms, anC
! many measures which have resulted il
. untold benefit to the state were strenu
4 ously and honestly opposed when frs
! considered. The farmers and the cattle
! raisers can afford to undergo littl,
q trouble and ANNOYANCE if in the enc
I there shall be. provided for them HON,
!. market for their cattle at higher ant
a more profitable prices. Surely the ad
4 dition of moderate inspection fee cal
v not be as much as the freight now pait
y on the shipment of the cattle to distan
d cities.