The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-15
THE MEATINspECTIoN BILL

Some things can be taken for granted
in any discussion of the proposed meas
ure. It is legitimate function of or
eanized society TO protect its members
against impure or unhealthful food prod
uctS. Meat products are frequently UNI
healthful. Cattle have actinomycosls and
tuberculosis, swine have cholera trichi-
nae while sheep have their diseases that
unfit their flesh for food. 1t therefore
becomes the duty OF the state to guard
its people against the dangers to health
that come with the consumption of dis
eased meats. The United States, to give
assurance of heaithfulness to exported
meats. provides inspection by experts for
all meats slaughtered for export So far
as these meats pass into home consume
ton the consumers are protected Honest
butchers, careful of reputation, also ex-
erclse care in selecting sound animals,
Where unsoundness is discernible to the
eye. But neither all butchers nor all
stock raisers and dealers are honest r.
Is against the dishonest society must
guard itself.
The house bill attempts to meet these
conditions and enable the state to per-
FORM IT'S junction. 1t provides ante and
post-mortem inspection. 1t has many
good features. but has one provision that
is absurd and one that is unjust The
absurd one is the failure to exempt from
c,t,
state inspection animals or their carcass
ses that have been inspected by fedora,
inspectors. 1t adds needless cost and
is double work performed by men with
independent authorities, inviting serious
clashes. Suppose a state inspector should
condemn an animal which the federal
inspectors had passed, and the packer
proceeded TO slaughter and dress. womb
not the state find itself involved in a
conflict of laws should its inspectors in
sist upon tanking the carcass? AS the
great bulk of inspecting will be done at
oeuth ST Paul, where there are now eight
federal inspectors, state inspection there
would, If the fee system is retained. be
the most lucrative post in the state. In
slstence upon retention of this utterly
useless and absurd double inspection lays
the measure open to the suspicion that
1t is not so much the guarding of the
public health as the provision of lucra-
tive position for some one that is the
real motive.
The unjust feature of the bill is the
fee method of compensation. 1t is wrong
In principle. The state acts for the bene-
fit of all its people, and those who get
the benefit should bear the cost. This
principle is recognized in the national
inspection laws and in the state food
and dairy inspection laws, and if the
license bill passes. in the fish and game
laws. The inspectors of meats should be
salaried or piece-pai1 by the state. The
fee feature Is unjust because it puts upon
the cattleman, either producer or buyer,
a burden that ali should bear 1t either
dlminishes the price paid the producer
or the legitimate profits Of the buyer, who
IS bound by the conditions of competitive
markets where no such burden is i'm
posed. 1t handicaps the stock markets
of the state by adding an expense that.
where the competition is so close as 1t is
between st. Paul and Chicago. Sioux City
or Omaha, will frequently turn the mar
gin of profit over into one Of loss 1t is
distinct blow at the packing industries
of the state, that are but now, after years
of struggle, getting firm ground under
their feet.
1t is good measure with vicious fea-
lures that can be eliminated Let us by
all means have meat inspection, but let
1t be single, not double-headed and let
all, for all get the benefit, pay the cost.
The last meat inspection act of this state
was job, pure and simple, and the
courts killed 1t. Don't let this bill get
through with the faint of jobbery upon
it.