The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1906-06-09

even reasonably clean, and that the
method of handling and preparing
food products is uncleanly and dan.
gerous to health. Under existing law
the national government has no power
to enforce inspection of the many
forms of prepared meat food products
that are daily going from the packing
houses into interstate commerce Ow.
ing to an inadequate appropriation
the department Of agriculture is not
even able to place inspectors In all
establishments desiring that. The
present law prohibits the shipment OF
uninspected meat to foreign coun.
tries. but there is no provision forbid.
ding the shipment of uninspected
meats In interstate commerce, and
thus thu avenues of interstate com
merce are left open to traffic in dis
eased or spoiled meats. If, as has
been alleged on seemingly good au.
thority, further evils exist, such as the
improper use of chemicals and dyes.
the government lacks power to rem
edy them. A law is needed which will
enable the inspectors of the general
government to inspect and supervise
from the hoof to the can the prepare
ton OF meat food products. The evil
seems to be much less in the sale of
dressed carcasses than I'm the sale of
canned and other prepared products;
and very much less as regards pro-
ducts sent abroad than as regards
those used at home.
I'm my judgment, the expenses of
the inspection should be paid by fee
levied on each animal slaughtered II
this Is not done, the whole purpose
OF the law can at any time be defeated
through an insufficient appropriation
and whenever there was no particular
interest In the subject II would not be
only easy, but natural thus to make
the appropriation insufficient. II II
were not for this consideration I |
should favor the government paying |
for the inspection.
"The alarm expressed in certain |
quarters concerning this feature |
should be allayed by realization of |
the fact that In no case under such n
law will the cost of inspection exceed !
8 cents per head.
II call special attention to the fact
that this report is preliminary. and
that the investigation Is still unfin-
ished. Il is not yet possible to report
on the alleged abuses in the use of
deleterious chemical compounds In
with canning and preserv-
Ing meat products, nor on the alleged
doctoring In this fashion of tainted
meat and Of products returned to the
packers as having grown unstable or
from age or from other rea-
sons. Grave allegations are made in
reference to abuses of this nature.
Let me repeat that under the pres
ent law there practically Is no method
)f stopping these abuses. II they
should be discovered to exist. Legisla-
ion Is needed In order to prevent the
of all abuses In the future.
II no legislation is passed. then the
excellent results accomplished by the
work of this special committee will en-
lure only so long es the memory of
he committees work Is fresh. and re-
,rudescence of the abuses IL absolute
y certain.
Il ugre the immediate enactment
nto law of provisions which will en-
,ble the department of agriculture
to inspect the meat ana
neat food products entering into in
erstate commerce. and to supervise
he methods Of preparing the same.
md to prescribe the sanitary condi-
ions under which the work shall be
performed, l therefore commend to
our favorable consideration and urge
he enactment of substantially the
known as senate amend
nent No. 20 to the act making appro-
for the department of agri.
culture for the fiscal year ending June
70, 1907, as passed by the senate, this
'nactment being commonly known as
he Beverage amendment.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
THE White House, June 4, 1906"