New-York tribune., 1906-06-10

committee at once assented that such provision
would be good law.
Mr.. Cowan made the suggestion to fees that
an appropriation be made say Of 81. 600. with
the further provision that if the amount should
prove insufficient, the Secretary of Agriculture
should prescribe fee for inspection to make up
the difference This would each year bring a
pressure on Congress for the appropriation.
Mrs. Isabel Worren Ball, formerly of Kan
sas. gave the committee her experience with
canned goods to show that they did not dete-
riorate with age
URGES QUICK ACTION.
F. P. Johnson secretary of the Colorado Horse
and Stock Raisers Association. urged the COM
mittee to expedite legislation for inspection. He
wanted something TO stop this interminable
racket" The beef men, he said. were bearing
all the cost. The public did not seem able to
apply any of the Jungle" stories TO mutton.
"Only the other day in a restaurant" he
continued, "a waiter suggested to a customer
beefsteak. No. said the customer. I have been
reading about this inquiry-bring me mutton
chops"
He said the raisers wanted the government to
pay the cost, but if there was TO be trouble
about it, 1--WE will pay any cost" He said for
several years the industry had been working
naTQ 10 DullQ up lne export OSiliSIiu@
This matter will set us right back where we
at the beginning"
The price of beef to the producer he said, had
dropped from 10 cents TO 81 100 pounds in
the last few weeks Any bill. he said that did
not suit the President would not relieve the
public mind.
DR.. a. D. Melvin chief of the Bureau of Ami
NAL Industry of the Department of Agriculture
was next heard. He first read statement show
ing the increased vigilance of the inspection at
Chicago Moral suasion and the withdrawal Of
the government inspection were the only means
the department had to enforce it's regulations.
The fact that the product OF abattoi not
der inspection went into interstate commerce
made the department loath to withdraw the in
spection The cost of the government inspec-
for hogs and 1& cents for sheep. The proposed
sanitary inspection would increase the cost. in
his estimation, TO cents head for C title and
calves and 3 cents for hogs and sheep. The
total annual cost on this basis would be S1.SSO,-
2l5. In addition, he need for an emergency
appropriation 10 met extensions. DR.. Melvin
was asked what he thought of the Presidents
estimate Of cents head and replied that
it was hard matter to estimate. and that the
President might be right.
END OF THE HEARING
DR.. Melvin gave it as his opinion that meats
kept under proper conditions in alright cans
would remain good Indefinitely. Each year. he
said, there were from eight TO a dozen plants
which had applied for inspection, which, from
lack of funds, the bureau unable 10 give.
DR.. Melvin said that in Germany the inspec-
ton covered two-thirds of the product, while in
the United States it covered from &C 20 65 per
cent. In Argentina and Australia there was no
inspection.
Mr.. Wilson, representing the packers. said at
this point:
The japanese government sent committee of
offlclals who made inspection of the plants
and methods, after which they bought many
hundred thousand cases OF goods. Russia, dur
inspection or examination Occasionally other
countries sent a representative to make ex-
animation Of the plants and methods
George P McCabe, solicitor for the Depart
ment of Agriculture, took practically the same
ground that Mr.. Cowan had as to the right to
require sanitation in interstate trade. He did
not believe Congress had the right TO make the
violation of federal sanitary conditions a mis-
demeanor subject to penalty.
In reply to question by Chairman Wads-
worth Dr. Melvin said the only foreign COM
plant as 10 American meat he had ever received
was as to three or four barrels of pigs feet that
went down 10 South America and were spoiled
in transit.
After short executive session the committee
decided to take the inspection amendment up
Tor consideration on Monday, with the view of
reporting it TO the House as soon as possible.
A second telegraphic request of Upton Sinclair
author Of THE Jungle TO be heard, was con-
sidered and the committee decided not to hold
further hearings.