St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-13
A BEATEN BIG four.
Meat Inspection Passes the
House With a Surprising
Majority.
The Debate Was Long, but the
Opposition Confined to
Twenty Votes.
a Quartette Of Chicago Gen.
tlemen Kept Their Eyes
Open.
Senators Agree to a Drastic
Measure Affecting the
Railroads.

High up in the cooped gallery Of the
house there sat yesterday afternoon
four men. There was Needer. with his
spectacles; Darlington, neryously pull
ing his brush beard: Gooch, with a
broad, TeutOnic face, and slim Brown.
They represented the legislative inter-
estS Of the Armour, Swift, or rather the
s'Big Four dressed beef combine.
Their attendance and keen observation
of all that passed was owing to the final
debate and passage of the Schetfer meat
inspection bill in the house. And this
was done after legislative day of
thirty-three hours length had ended,
evening set in and the bells
begun to ring for Lenten prayers.
Mr.. Forbes was the generalissimO of
the occasion. and most successful one ::
Mr.. Morgan, the orator, whose logic
and eloquence were both Irresistible.
The debate began at $50 and lasted
until o'clock. There was in it moth
ing new on the subject. 1t is doubtful
if a single vote was changed either way.
There was much parliamentary prac-
tee and good deal of rushing tactics.
The attendance was large, all of the
local packers and butchers being Oil the
floor or in the galleries. The speaker
was lenient. and their applause was un-
checked. The contest began with a
motion from Forbes that when the house
rose as a committee of the whole the
bill be recommended to pass. Judge
Fleming moved that it be Indefinitely
postponed. Mr.. Forbes said:
believing that the people of this
state have right TO protect themselves
from diseased meat, this bill has been
introduced. 1t is very strange indeed
that the opponents of this bill will
assert that it is only presented for the
purpose of building up the South st.
Paul stock yards. when bills precisely
similar are pending or have passed in
Indiana, New York, Iowa, Colorado,
and other states. If the effect of this
legislation is to build UP monopoly at
South st. Paul. would rather have it
at home than Chicago-haye it here,
where we can control it.
Something other than the Legitimate
laws of trade are now controlling this
dressed beef industry believe that
the practical effect of this bill will be
to give our farmers q better price for
their stock. We can best respond to
the public demand for protection by
passing the BILL
Judge Fleming followed him:
Il believe this TO be pernicious
measure. There is no call for it. They
talk about the Big Four being here in
the gallery. Well, the Big Six from the
defunct Institution at South ST. Paul are
fin the gallery also. | believe that if
this bill passes, within one year the
people will seriously regret it. The
1t originated here in St. Paul. 1t is thin
to talk OF it being for sanitary prOtec-
ton. Who ever heard of any one being
sick from eating beef? Why don't you
Inspect the canned goods? Everybody
knows that this pretcXt is false. 1t is
one that will not stand the test when
brought into the courts. The conditions
of Minnesota are not suited so as
TO compete with the large ranches
of the West. You can pass all
the laws you have Il mind to but you will
never accomplish it. | tell you, farmers
of Minnesota, that these ST. Paul parties
TO tax the people to build up their own
institutions? The legitimate result Of
the bill is to create more. dangerous
monopoly than now at Chicago. | want
TO say i'll language so strong that it can
never be forgotten that before two
years have rolled round the people of
Minnesota will rise up against this
measure. 1t is a miSchieyOuS enact
ment."
Mr.. Benson, as farmer, aud one who
has seen the stock interests of the state
decline, resented Judge Fleming'S as
6ertiOnS:
There are hundred cattle and a
hundred sheep and two hundred hogs
consumed in each of these two cities per
day. The demand is rapidly increasing.
but prices do not keep up with 1t. This
marlet is ours and does not belong 10
the Big Four. This is matter of self
protection for u.s."
Mr.. Stebbins opposed the bill. 1t
would prove, III his opinion. great
and unjust burden to the taxpayers.
Mr.. Hanke read from manuscript q
lengthy argument for the bill. {. r..
Davis forcibly. and with credit to him
self. presented lawyers opposition to
the measure. Mr.. Dunn WAS vigorous
il his support:
''If the results Of this law are bad. two
years hence the legislature can then
repeal this law. L believe the bill to be
constitutional"
John Day Smith. for his conscience
and on principle, earnestly warned the
house to not pass the bill. He said,
with vigor:
This is bill to raise the price of
meat. That is the object and the pur-
pose of it,"
In referring to Gordon E. Coles sup
port of it, he said:
"a man comes here with fee in his
pocket and defames people better than
himself. He is for protection for rev.
enue."
Mr., Morgan's argument, the best de-
3iyered of the day. was largely legal.
1.-The one question of this bill is, shall
our inspection of cattle be in Chicago or
here
The police power of the state had a
scope as wide as this measures inten-
ton, he added. Mr.. Crossfeld offered
three amendments to the bill:
To amend so that it should not apply to
towns and villages of less than 1000 inhab-
itants.
TO make inspection take place in the
county where the slaughtering occurs.
To fix the inspection fees at not more than
20 cents per head.
Col. Brush-I believe that these
amendments are introduced to kill the
bill.
Mr.. Crossfeld-The gentleman from
Wilkin has not the right to impugn the
motives of any member of this house
Col. Brush have impugned the mo-
fiveS of no one. | simply stated my be-
lief.
He continued and referred to the
lobbyists OF Armour ct al, upon the
floor of the house.
"They are here looking after their
business. This bill is taking SS,0OO,OOC
from their pockets"
Mr.. Hay-Wil the gentleman from
1Nilkin point them out to us?
Col. Brush-if the gentleman from
Hennepin is so deficient in knowledge
of parliamentary law as not to know
that if is not permissible, then | thank