Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-05
INSPECTION OF BEET.

for inspection of beef cattle on the hOof, which would in effect bar cut of the state all beef dressed abroad, seems to have found but little favor so far at Hartford. There is very little to com mend the bill and still less to justify its adoption.
 The effect of the bill would inevitably the consumer. No pretense is made, even by the farmers themselves who would derive the greatest benefit from the passage of the bill, that twentieth part of the beef used in the state could be raised here If the remainder of what is needed should have to be brought into the state to be slaughtered here it is quite evident that there would have to be an increase in the retail price of meat. It costs more to transport live cattle here than dressed beef, and it would cost more to slaughter them owing to the lesser facilities for doing the work. The increased expense would lave to be borne by the consumer, for 
 naturally refuse to shoulder the loss. There is of course force to the claim that the Chicago dressed beef business is a huge monopoly, but it is equally true that it has been the means of reducing the cost of beef to the poor man and en- ing it three times day. And the drive at the dressed beef monopoly which it is claimed by its friends is intended by Mir O'Neills bill, if it suc- ceeded, would be simply to give boost to another monopoly, that of the farmers at home and the ranchmen of the south and west. It makes little difference to the consumer, so far as he Is personally concerned, which monopoly is favored he is between the devil and the deep sea, except that he will be put q little deeper into the sea if, by the passage of the in- spection bill, the price of meat is raised to the dealer. This increase will be made up to the dealer by an increase in the rates to the consumer, and he poor devil, can pick bones and thank heaven that he is permitted to live at all.
 If there is any need for the inspection of beef let the slaughtered beef be in spected, no matter whether it comes in to the state alive and is killed here or is brought in dressed. As Attorney Webb remarked at the committee hearing on Wednesday, the Jews, who are the most scrupulous and rigid of all people in the inspection of meat, always inspect the hoof. It is the most scientific inspec- tion that can be made. In this way it | will be possible to guard the interests of the consumers of beef from a sanitary point of view, and prevent the present scheme that could only have as it's re- suit the raising of the price of every pound of meat that goes on the table. Discrimination against dressed beef such as is proposed by the O'Neill bill, would bring with it no compensating advan- tages that we have been able to discover or its friends have been able to reveal.
 There is little probability, so far as ap- pearances indicate, of the passage of MT | O'Neills bill, and it is to be hoped that the appearances are correct. Meat is dear enough. under present conditions, to the consumer, but if the ONeill bill became a law the price would be still higher. For this reason the bill should be showed under so completely that it will not raise its head again in hurry.