Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1906-06-02
HISTORY OF MEAT
Inspection BILL
HOW IT WAS ADDED TO THE
AGRICULTURAL APPRO-
PRIATION BILL.
ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT
MEASURES IN rs YEARS
After the Victory of the Packers In
Court, the President Caused n
Quiet Investigation of Packing
Plants to be Made.

wash IL SJOL-BeIOIt dUUlHB llle meal
inspection bill to the agricultural ap
preparation bill in the senate, as az
amendment it is understood that Sen
ator Beveridge, who originally intro
duced the bill, had an understanding
with the leaders on both sides of the
capitol that it would not be disturbed
in conference, There was the creates
surprise and astonishmenC when it We,
learned that the Beyeridge bill hac
been incorporated into the agricultural
bill.
How the Coup Was Planned.
1t is also worth while to remember
that this is perhaps the most important
legislation Of the past quarter of a cen.
tury, barring only the rate bill anC
the original legislation which launched
lis in the canal building business. II
the first place, President Roosevelt
took very much to heart his defeat il
the courts of Chicago in his Pre- esu
tion of the Beef trust He took les.
kindly to the patrouizng way in whicl
the Beef trust magnates treated hin
in the matter and the indulgent attitude
they showed toward him.
Sent Agents to Investigate.
The upshot Of the planning was tt
appoint Mr., Neil and Mr.. Reynolds q
committee to make a quiet and exhau2
tive investigation as to the facts and
thus fortified, to go after the Beef trust
with legislative weapon, and not
through the courts The result Of the
investigation thus planned was all that
the president had been given to under
stand it would be. The report which
was prepared for him was the most
sensational in its conclusions and find
ings of fact
With this report, metaphoricallly. up
his sleeve, the president had his official.
Of the department of agriculture draw
up a bill which was most drastic and
far-reachiug in its provisions, and in
effect practically placed every BEEF
packing establishment in the country
under governmental supervision,
Packers Crusade in Win.
The packers had started crusade
against the measure and against the
further publicity in connection with
the sanitary conditions of the packing
plants 1t was urged that the packers
were depressing the price Of beef and
that the foreign market would be
ruined It was told to the president
that the producers of cattle alone were
suffering. But all this availed moth
ing. The president stood by Beveridge.
Now the administration blandly says
to the packers that they can make the
best sort of capital out of the measure.
They will be in a position to say to
their foreign as well as domestic GUS
toners that their plants are under gov
ernment supervision, and that they will
have the approval Of government san
itary experts, The administration says
nothing about the change that will
have to come in the packing-house
business, and how thousands Of dollars
will have to be spent in complying with
the rigid regulations which the passage
of the Beveridse bill will bring into
existence.
Neither does the government say
anything about the effect on the future
Relating and arrangement with rail-
roads and other trade practices of the
Beef trust when every detail Of its bust
ness is being watched by government
agents.