The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-08
From Sundays Second Edition.)
American Pork Vindicated.

From Sundays Second Edtion.)
American Pork indicated.
BERLIN. Feb. 6-The forthcoming gov
eminent report on the cases of trichina in
ing tho period from July l. 1896, to Jan. 1,
1887, and seized by the authorities, will be
"a sore disappointment to the Prussian gov
eminent and still more to the Agrarian
party. both of which have all along con-
tended that the United States sends trich-
inized pork, despite the American officials
each package of meat. In the Prussian
Diet as well as in the Reichstag and in the
German press, and likewise in the official
correspondence between the government, it
has for years been emphatically stated
that these American meat certificates, teS-
Trying 10 the healthy condition of the eX-
ported pork, both canned and smoked or
sailed, are not trustworthy and that in
many instances trichina has been discov-
cred by the German meat Inspectors in
such certified meat after delivery here
This claim has never been admitted by the
American government, bat to all demands
TO substantiate IL with more than mere al
legation, the Prussian government has
turned a deaf ear though repeating the
claim itself from time to time. A few
cases of alleged American trchinized pork
which were cited by the PrusSian govern
ment in support of its claims turned out
on investigation instituted by the Amefi-
can embassy here. as fictitious, or, at least,
UnproVen. f
In one single case it was last spring es-
tablished beyond doubt that lot of pork
sold III American packages did contain
trichina, but those packages had been sent
by the American exporters over a year
prior, and the fact that the marks on the
So hd fsen W af Ss
German packer had simply used the Amer
lean packages a second time to do up his
German pork in was inevitable. In other
cases those former Prussian reports con-
tanned such meagre notices THE three
cases of american trichinized pork in Co
logne," THE two cases ditto in Salsewed-
made to Identify those cases by demanding
the number of, the American packages,
such as accompany each American certifi-
cate, such numbers could not be produced.
The American embassy in Berlin thereupon
insisted that each case of alleged American
in the official Prussfan report with the
number of the American certificates, etc.
so that the shipper and the negligent
against at home. Against this demand,
which the American government hoped
would show the utter 'groundlessness of the
Prussian claims, the Prusian government
made resistance In various forms for some
length of time, but last spring at last they
were induced to promise to comply with it.
Instructions were issued by the Prussian
minister of the interior Ito all the presidents
of the government districts of Prussia to
add, in every instance where trichina had
been found in American pork, such details,
numbers of certificates and facts which
might enable the American government to
trace the offending shippers and officials at
home. And the forthcoming report is the
result of this decree.
The reports from the president of the
ing the Prussian monarchy have now
reached the Prussian minister for the in
terror. In only five of these districts is
there reports of alleged American trichin-
lied pork, but these reports. in disregard
70 the instructions issued by the Prussan
minister of the interior, are unaccOmpanied
by the necessary proof which would estab-
lish the fact that the pork in question was
really OF American origin and had been
1A6 In fhn vfrNn1 1Arinn aira
before others had had a chance to tamper
with 1t. Hence even these cases, of which
there are thirteen all told. are worthless
and do not prove the trichinous character of
American pork, even in a single instance.
These thirteen cases are reported from
Muenster. Westphala. Coeslin. Pomerania
Linden. Hanover, Hadersieiben SchIesvig
and Altoona, near Hamburg. Each package
of imported American pork Is accompanied
from the American meat inspector at the
place of shipment bearing the same
number.
In none of the above cases are these num-
bers given. The American embassy will.
Therefore, dispute that these cases. of
So far. therefore as This government re- ri.
port is concerned 1t amounts to vindica-
ton Of American pork. This report, if the
American embassy can obtain Ii. will be
ready for publication. about March 1 or
sooner. Meanwhile it will go through the
hands of the chiefs of the different depart
ments. both in the Ministry of the Interior
and the Ministry of Husbandry If the
American embassy is liable to obtain this
report it will be sent TO Washington. 1t
is likely. however, that the report. since it
is much more favorable to American
meat interests than was suspected will not
be forwarded to the American embassy at
all, ii is surmised on the Prussian side
that 1t would only furnish the American
government the means to dsprove the al
legations made so often and so persisten:ly
To the discredit of American pork num-
Der of statements have been made in the
Prussian Diet to the effect that American
pork in Prussia was a detriment to public
health. and should be excluded 1t is prob
able that the official report utterly dis
proved these allegations that the Radical
and Liberal factions in the Diet and
Reichstag who favor the unrestricte ed
importation of American pork whole
some and cheap food for the masses in Ger
many WILL soon as the facts contained in
the report accessible to them. interpret
late the government as 10 the reasons for
restricting the importation of American
pork by Vexatious tariff regulations.