Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-31
Chief Government Inspector at Chi
oago Stockyards.
NOT A POUND ESCAPES, BE SAYS
Big Packers Declare That They Ar
Not Opposing the Beverage
Amendment.

Sa1ue IA tnIS city IN speaking OF the pres
ent meat agitation reiterates with emrl aais
his assertion that Not a pound Of tainted
meat escapes into tho local market
Il never saw anything like the frenzy
displayed over this question" he said. Men
who never saw the interior of q packing
house are learnedly discussing the neces-
sity OF giving the inspectors the right to
destroy all the meat they condemn. They
do destroy It now. They always have
done so. at least since came here ten
years ago.
"Just as soon as the 'tagger, puts the
suspicious tag upon a carcass 1t 10 hauled
on TO the governments room and locked
In there. No one has the key to that room
except the government BY ana by the
inspector. who is q trained veterinarian
comes around and examines the meat II
his Judgment corroborates the verdict OF
the tagger' then the animal is dumped
forthwith Into the tank and converted
into fertilizer. The packer gets nothing
from that animal except the hide hoofs,
horns and the fertilizing material
For any one to assert that condemned
meat escapes into. the local market or
into any other market is the veriest nom
sense"
Statements Of the Packers.
Instead Of opposing government inspec-
ton and sanitary regulation OF meat-pack-
ing plants. as contemplated by the Bev-
eridge amendment, Chicago meat packers
declare that they will Welcome such legis-
lation. although 1t is commended that the
larger houses are now sanitary.
Official statements have been made by
Armour q Co., Nelson Morris g. Co., Swift
& Co. and the National Packing Company
declaring that these four concerns are in
favor Of any inspection or regulation that
ing industry.
The official statement CT Armour & Co.
follows:
Although our packing houses have been
open to the public for forty Years, we here
by favor the regulation of this industry as
provided for by the Beyeridge bill. We
yield hrst place to nobody in our readiness
to bring about such inspection as will qua
antee that every pound of meat sold shall
be clean, wholesome and absolutely free
from contamination.
All meats that pass through our packing
houses are already subjected to government
inspection both before and after 81 a,lgltar
Inc meats and products that are under no
FORM OF inspection or regulation whatever
are those from the thousands of small
plants and local slaughter houses through
out the country. This government inspec-
ton we now have lis The most stringent and
efficient in the world. But we will gladly
welcome Improvement in this after slaugh-
ter inspection Ii improvement can be do
vlsed We Will also welcome an extension
or this inspection to embrace the sanitary
condltions OF our plants as proposed In the
Beyeridge bill"
Edward Tilden, president of the National
Packing CO., said: We are in favor Of q
reasonable inspection by the government,
and the Beverage bill, with some modifea-
lions, Will perhaps cover the situation. 1t
does not seem fair, however, that we
should be called upon to pay the salaries
work. In view of the heavy loss we now sus-
tain on animals for which we pay full mar
ket price, which are condemned and de-
stroyed; but this, with some other points
n ho fcfa TN
adjusted and an amended bill can be adopt
ed that will reach sanitary conditions. Such
bill will meet with our hearty co-opera-
ton and support"
The statement of Swift & Co follows:
Although the inspection of slaughtered
animals in our plants Is already strict and
scientific, still we should welcome law
going further, establishing and maintaining
a higher standard of sanitation. The Bev-
ertdge bill Is right In principle and could
be used as basis for a law which would
meet every requirement"
A report of Nelson, Morris & Co. In a
statement along the same lines, said: sour
aim is and always has been to improve con-
stantly; we feel we have been successful
and that the inspection and sanitary condi-
tons at present are good. However, we are
heartily In favor of any practical inspection
that will tend to improve conditions
Stockmen Favor Proposed Inspection.
A dispatch to the Tribune from Sioux
Representations that the stociSmen of the
northwest oppose the bill now before Con-
gress extending government inspection over
domestic and export meats on the ground
that more rigid inspection law would
mean great loss to the cattle men, are re-
pudiated by j. J. Ryan of Fort Dodge,
Iowa. secretary of the Corn Belt Meat Pro-
ducers Association and Murdo Mackenzie,
president of the American National Stock
Growers Association.
more rigid government inspection win
increase our export trade" declared Mr..
Ryan here yesterday. I'VE manufacture the
best quality of meats In the world and we
should have no suspicion cast on the san-
tary conditions of our packing plants or
that diseased animals are used. Such sus-
picions have already cost US much in ex-
| port trade. Much loss Is sustained by Of
fering for export meats of questionable
quality. and the loss falls on the stock men
as much as the additional cost of inspec-
ton would fall on the cattle men should
the Beveridge bill pass in its original form. :
Mr. Ryan declared that the government
should pay the expenses of inspection.
Murdo Mackenzie expressed the opinion
that the government should pay the inspec-
ton charges. but said the bill for more
rigid inspection is a good thing all around.
Nool;nO Showers Time I