The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-05
THE BEEF scANDLE,
Congress Greatly Wrought up by the
Exposurers Packers Making Eff
forts to Avoid Cost of u,
X Inspection. ..,@

q Washington, May 31.-Congress is
d deeply stirred up over the beef in-
sspection amendment which the ad-
8 ministration through Senator Beve-
D ridge caused to be added to the agri-
3 cultural appropriation bill and which
is now in process Of going to confer
ence between the House and Senate.
4 The proceedings seem to have opened
n "a Pandora's box Of trouble for the
beef trust, and it is evident that the
end of the embarrassments for that
combination is not yet in sight.
A determined effort is to be made
to get the Neill report before the pub
lie. Just as vigorous attempts will
be made to suppress it. Already the
effects Of the agitation upon the beef
4 trusts trade is apparent. The Euro
pean market has taken fright, think
Sing that if the president of the United
States found it necessary to move in
gthe premises there must be some foun-
Edation for the reports Of outrage upon
Il the consuming public.
u The press throughout the United
Estates has taken up the subject. The
&Chicago press is making vigorous in
#quiry into what becomes of the meats
#condemned by the Federal inspectors
Il and some reports have been publish
ed alleging that the diseased hogs,
cattle and sheep are foisted upon the
community after being condemned by
the inspectors. The New York papers
are full of reports of alleged cases
OF imposition upon the consumers and
the public seems to be thoroughly
aroused.
But the beef trust is by no means
idle all this time. Telegrams are be-
ginning to pour in upon Senators and
Representatives from the cattle rails
ing States urging Congressman not to
take action which will react upon the
cattle raisers. The inference which
statesmen are drawing from these
kilograms is that the beef trust is
threatening the cattle raisers that if
congress makes the trust pay the cost
Of inspection the trust will take it
out Of the price paid for cattle.
Some of the legislators familiar
with the methods of the beef trust
think that the trust would also turn
around and take a double turn of the
consumers of beef. In fact, it is
known that word has already been
passed around in congress that if the
trust has to pay the cost Of the in
spection the people will have to foot
the bill in increased cost Of meat pro-
ducts.
1t is safe to say, however, that
these considerations are not cutting
much figure in congress. The thing
has gone too far, it is claimed, for
Congress to turn back without raising
a storm of public Indignation. 1t is
quite possible that the amendment
may be changed if it can be shown
that change is necessary to make it
cnurt-proof. The most determined ef-
fort will be made to fix the cost or
inspection upon the packers and make
it stick, lettin" the future take care Of
the cost of cattle and dressed meats.
Some statesmen make the point
that if the disclosures turn out to be
as startling as they have been limited,
the beef trust may be glad enough to
do business at any price that IS rea~
sonablc, and that if the trust does
not offer to pay fair prices for cat
tie there will soon be arrangements
outside Of the trust for buying them
and for selling them at reasonable
rate for The public.
The suggestion has been made that
This very legislation may turn out to
DE the beginning Of the breakup OF
, the beef trust and return to normal
conditions in cattle buying and meat
selling. Representatives know that
there is no organization in the coun-
try; not excepting the Standard OH
trust, which is so dcspiscd and hated
by the public as the beef trust, and
they feel that they need not lear
to take drastic action so long as 1T IS
legal.