The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-28
POTTER,S MEAT INSPECTION BILL
DOES NOT STIR UP THE
TRADE.
SAID 1T WILL NOT STAND
THE TEST OF THE COURTS AS TO
IT'S CONSTITUTIONS
Atty.
Owing to the Absence of Repre-
sentative McGiII From the Conn
mtttee's Meeting.

Senator Potter, Of Hennepin, must be
fearful that his meat inspection bill Is
not to be favorably acted upon in the
lower house, for he was present last
night at a meeting Of the committee on
public health, dairy and food products,
and in very short time abandoned his
quiet, seductive style Of argument for
an emphatic, exasperated manner,
which told of his knowledge that 1t
would not all be plain sailing. The fact
is Senator Potters meat inspection bill
will not be sent back to the house with
the favor Of the committee upon it.
1t might be said the bill will be rec
commended for passage with certain
amendments, but they will be so vital
that Mr.. Potter, or whoever drew the
bill, will scarcely recognize the original.
The most drastic criticism yet given
the bill comes from some Of the meat
men in the state, who say that the
outside dealers, having consulted legal
advice, believe the measure to contain
unconstitutional provisions, and will
probably not fight 1t. It is pointed out
that the inspection tax imposed on out
side dealers by the Potter bill Is so
excessive as to be prohibitive and
therefore void, and further that for the
purpose Of an inspection of meats, the
courts would probably hold that cities
cannot be classified So much for that
part Of 1t.
Now comes Representative McDon-
aid, Of Ramsey, with a bill Oh F. 213)
introduced yesterday, which in the first
place contemplates a system Of inspec-
ton to be carried on by the state
which is hardly likely to be adopted at
this time-and which is radically DIFF
ferent from the measure sent to the
senate by Mr.. Potter and to the house
by Representative McGill. The COM
mittee named above met at the capitol.
and in addition to the members and
Senator Potter there were Representa-
tive Mcdonald, Secretary ]. 7. Spill
man and F. F. Aitken, Of the Mime
sofa Packing and Provision company:
w. E. Mccormick, a dealer in that
vicinity; DrS. baltimore and I.yford.
veterinarians Of st. Paul and Minneap-
oils, and other interested persons Mr..
Mcdonald, after regretting the absence
Of Mr.. McGill, asked that his bill, which
had been also referred to the commit
tee be read to the members
The most vital provision contained in
1t seems to be that requiring inspection
of cattle, sheep and swine at the time
of slaughtering and Immediately there
after, for the reason that such a dis
ease as tuberculosis, for example. is
not noticeable on the hoof, nor does it's
trace remain for a time after the meat
is dressed. Such inspection it must
be understood, is intended to apply only
to stock killed in this state and which
has not come in properly inspected and
tagged by government officials at other
points outside the state. This style of
inspection is not provided for in any
way in the Potter bill. Again, the
Mcdonald bill provides that the quar-
ters of beef must be accompanied by
the evidence, as far at least as the re-
tail store, Of having been inspected by
q state or government inspector This
evidence is to consist Of the inspection
tag, sealed, or something equally Sc
cure. This is said by cattle men to be
far more reassuring to consumers Of
meat than the certificate Of the in
spector as provided in the Potter bill
that he has inspected all the stock
slaughtered by John Doe, when, as a
matter Of fact, however honest he may
be, he does not know whether he has
or not.
The Henepin senator in his measure
sets forth that no inspection is neces-
sary IN the case Of cattle, sheep and
swine raised or fed by farmers within
ten miles Of any city of $4,000 inhabi-
tants.
Here the dealers raise their hands in
holy horror, and proceed to pick the
| paragraph to pieces by pointing out
that under the provision any man may
come into possession of lumpy-iawed or
tubercular cattle, feed them for say
thirty days and then kill them and
place them ON the market without the
slightest inspection.
Mr.. Mcdonald pointed out that the
time would come when the state would
carry on the inspection of cattle as it
did the inspection Of cheese and butter.
1t was faireT he thought, to put the
tax ON the hundred families who were
interested In getting pure, healthy
meats than upon the single man who
raised the stock.
The strongest point he made, and
that which the meat men present dwell
most on, was that under existing con-
ditions dealers from outside could ship
In diseased meat with impunity, and
were doing 1t when the local dealers
who had government inspectors were
prevented from doing it.
The Mcdonald measure places the
inspectors fees at % cents for each Of
the first five cattle inspected in one
day, and one cent a head for every
additional animal.
The bill aus it stands is probably not
without need of several amendments,
especially as it provides for the main
tenance of the inspection department
by the state, but it meets with the ap-
prevail of the local dealers, and can
scarcely be less favorable to the foreign
meat men than is the Minneapolis bill.
The members of the committee were
listeners for the most part last night.
but it was the sentiment that a good
bill could be drafted with certain pro-
visions from each bill under considera-
ton. Further action on the matter
was deferred until such time later as
MI. McGill can be present and be
heard.