The San Francisco call., 1899-04-07
THE BEEF INQUIRY.

\ 0 matter what may be the verdict of the COM
\ mission inquiring into the beef ration fur
nished during the Spanish war; American IN
terests in meat products going to suffer
This country is the largest producer and purveyor
OF meat products in the world. Our and fodder
facilities are unlimited, and upon them depend our
beef and pork. The proper curing of these meats
with SALT saltpeter and sugar a comparatively slow
process, but it is wholesome. Pork products cured
by these agents, and smoked have excellent keeping
qualities and furnish nourishing element in diet.
1t is highly probable that the sudden demand for
large quantities OF meat in condition fit for army
tions caused the of novel chemicals and expert
ments the hasty preparation OF the for in
military camps and in the tropics, and that the hurry
orders were responsible for methods that have not
been in use in the preparation OF for the usual
market. But this fact will not be apt to get due
weight in the mind OF the foreign consumer and of our
competitors. No doubt it mistake to attempt
the OF beef ration in the tropics. Experience
demonstrates that salt pork ration is the best there
We have always had large outlet for salted pork
among the laboring population OF the West Indies.
The negro laborers there use it with molasses as
condiment, and it seems to be the best meat ration
for that climate AS there is no prospect that will
extricate ourselves from the risk and of military
occupation in the tropics for several years. il at ALL it
will be we'll to extract some practical policy OF the
beef scandal.
The military nations OF Europe have made the army
ration the subject of the best scientific study. The
German army in the French war was furnished with
ration that carried the highest amount OF nutrition
in the smallest possible bulk The German pea
sausage, scientifically prepared, with nitrogen and all
the elements OF a wholesome diet, probably the
best constituent of ration furnished to sol
der It's preparation easy and taxed digestion
the least while sustaining the soldier in the supreme
exertion of battle better than anything heretofore
tried.
There is pea grown in Japan that upon analysis
and experiment shows the highest food qualities
found in the leguminous plants. This pea was used
in preparation OF the German ration
When Mr. ]. Sterling Morton was Secretary of
Agriculture he introduced this Japanese pea into this
country, and it is doubtless domesticated and being
grown in many places now. The military authorities
should hunt up and study the preparation of ra-
ton OF which il is the base in combination with pork
product 1t is easier of transportation than the
bean and is easily prepared and servceable
on the march or during battle This pea is especially
heavy producer in California and if introduced into
the army ration would be valuable addition to Our
field crops. Our fruit growers have already asked
the Government to introduce some form OF fruit ra-
tion in order to increase the market for fruits,
and there is equal proprety in asking that such field
crop be likewise favored
1t seems the height OF folly to build refrigerators
and make ice machines part OF army equipment to
keep fresh beef in poor condition for in hot
climate when the military experience of every nation
counter to the fresh beef ration the attempt
to initiate it by canned roast beef.
We fought the Civil War on the old standard ration
of hardtack and sow-bely, and that would have been
infinitely better in the Spanish than the en-
bamed denominations and refrigerated carrion on
which soldiers fed, at great cost and with
disastrous results to the health of the troops.