The herald., 1895-04-22
THE MEAT QUESTION
Secretary Morton Talks of the Department
Figures

WASHINGTON, April 2l.-Secretary
Morton was today shown the charge in
the Washington dispatch to the New York
Tribune of Friday that he had said the
statistics of pork exported to Germany
his figures do not correspond to the offic-
ial figures of the bureau of statistics and
shows much greater aggregate than is
given by that bureau. Secretary Morton
said that the figures of the department of
agriculture are just as accurate as the
bureau of statistics, and that concerning
exports of pork to countries requiring
certificates of inspection, the inspectors,
OF the bureau of animal industry have an
opportunity to obtain the exact figures,
which is not shared by any other depart
ment of the government. Every package
of pork which goes to Germanysor France
must be stamped by an inspector of the
bureau of animal industry, who takes its
exact weight, and every shipment of pork
to those countries must be accompanied
by certificate issued by an inspector,
showing that the meats have been prop
erly inspected and giving the stamp num-
Der of every package. The inspector re
ports all the certificates issued. with the
Der of packages, the weight and desti-
nation and the consignees.
II do not pretend to know" he added,
chow the figures of the bureau OF Stats
tics are made up, but as some of the in
spected pork is shipped to Germany by
way of. Holland, Belgium and other coun-
tries, it is possible that the discrepancy
arises from this pork being credited to
those countries instead of the country of
ultimate destination. The department of
agriculture not only has complete list
OF shipments showing the shipper in this
fha "a
entire amount of pork referred to in the
statistics given out, but it now appears
that the exports for March have been lar
ger than for any previous month. The
total exports of mlcroscoplcally inspected
pork covered by the certificates issued
during the month of March was Z, 239, 943
pounds of which 5.527, ga pounds was
destined for Germany, as compared with
5,229, 1856 pounds shipped during February
and 4,622. 2S4 during January.
''The New York Tribune will find by
reference to a letter written by General
W. b. Franklin, commi encouragement to
the Paris exposition, October 49, 1889,
that its editor, Mr.. Wnitelaw Reid. stated
that the small number of pork raisers in
France should not require the whole
nation to pay higher price for so i'm
portant an article of food, merely for
their benefit.
In regard to the beef question DR.. Sal
mon has reported to the secretary that
there is an undoubted diminution of the
class OF cattle from which the beef supply
is drawn. Taking the figures of the stat
istical division, which he believes to be
approximately correct, excluding dairy
cows, there were in 1892 81. $50. 239 head
OF cattle in the United States-556 to each
1000 of population. This shows that great
diminution in the beef cattle in the stock
yards is legitimate. Under such circum-
stances, however, the market should be
strong and the cattle be readily disposed
of at advanced figures instead of being
weak and depressed as is constantly re-
portel.
The price of beef in the eastern cities
has gone higher than is justified by the
price of living cattle, but reported break
M the market for cattle on account OF al
legged decreased consumption has come in
advance of any lowering of beef. In