New-York tribune., 1906-06-16
WADSWORTH REPLIES.
PRESIDENT "HERY WRONG~
Tart Correspondence on Neat In
spection Bill Made Public.

President Roosevelt and himself regarding the
meat Inspection bill prepared by the committee
The President in his letter says that almost
every change in the House amendment was for
the worse as compared with the Senate amend
ment and in his Judgment so framed as TO
minimize the chance of roofing out the evils in
the packing business" In his reply Mr. Wads-
worth declares the President is very. very
wrong in his estimate Of the committees bill:
calls attention provisions in the bill. and ends
with expression OF regret that the President
should feel justified by innuendo. at least. in
impugning the sincerity and the competency OF q
committee of the House of Representatives
You have warrant for it" says Mr.. wads-
worth.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
The Presidents letter to Mr. wadsworth fol-
lows:
The White House
Washington. June II. 1905
| My Dear Mr.. Wadsworth-
| / have gone over your bill very carefully. and
| not only obtained a report from Mr.. McCabe.
| as / told you / would but also obtained a re-
| port from Mr.. Reynolds il. l sorry to
| say the closely I investigate your proposed
/ substitute the worse find it Almost every
| change is one for the worse. so that il hardly
/ seems necessary for me to enurnerate than. Per-
| haps the amendment as You have now drafted
4
mitted it TO me In the first instance. but II 10
very. very bad.
| There seems to be one point in which II Is
possible that the amendment is even worse than
| the original amendment if. seems likely, there
| Is no provision for making plants accessible at
| all hours the inspectors. In any event, am
| sorry to have TO say that this strikes me as
amendment which. no matter how urdntention.
| ally, is framed so as to minimize the chance oe
| roofing out the evil IN the packing business
| Doubtless ii suits the packers, who object 70 a
| thoroughgoing inspection. much better than the
/ Senate amendment, and have doubt that
not only the packers. but their allies in business
/ and those stockgrowers who influenced by
/ them would prefer IT But am convinced II
| would in the long be heavy blow 70 tbs
| honest stock raiser and the honest packer TO
/ adopt these provisions rather than the far bet
/ ter contained In the Senate amendment;
/ for as cor1nsred with the Senate amendment.
| this proposed amendment which you tell me- IS
| that the majority OF the House committee
| would hamper in the most grossly Improper
| fashion the Secretary OF Agriculture in doing
| the work which you have appointed him to do.
| and will prevent even so much OF this work as
| can be done at all from being we'll and thor-
oughIy done
If the bill should go through IN the form that
the majority of your committee proposes. IL might
be that L should sign 1t as WORKING certal,
slight Improvement over the present. law, but II
so should accompany ~ oy InenlordIlouIn 5
plicitly stating how grave the defects were, ana
| 1 cannot promise to sign It. because the
provisions about the courts. as well as abou.
other matters. are so bad that IN my OPINION X
| they had been deliberately designed 10 prevent
the remedytng of the evils complained OF. they
could not have been worse
II seems to me that the surest way TO keep
our foreign trade from US. and. indeed. our
| interstate trade likewise In thoroughly unsat-
| factory condition and 70 prevent its resuming
| the position which it formerly had. is TO enaC
! the law in the shape proposed in the amend
ments submitted TO me by you.
| Sincerely yours THEODORE ROOSEVELT
| Hon James w Wadsworth. hairman Commit
tee on Agriculture. House of Representatives.
MR. wADswoRTHs REPLY.
Mr. wadsworth's reply is as follows:
Committee on Agriculture.
| House OF Representatives,
Washington. d. c., June 10. 1900.
| My Dear Mr.. President
| I received your letter last night You ars
| wrong very, very wrong" in your estimate OF
the committees bill 1t is as perfect a piece OF
| legislation to carry into effect your own views
on this question as was ever prepared by a
committee of Congress. Every member Of the
committee is absolutely as honest and sincere as
yourself in his desire to secure the passage OF .
rigid meat inspection bill They know the mean
ing of the English language.
To show you how unreliable the information IS
upon which you base your opinion of the bill.
call your attention to the following language IN
your letter:
accessible at ali hours TO the inspectors"
II you will turn to page four OF the bill copy
incIosed), line two, you will find the following
And for the purposes of such examination
and inspection said inspectors shall have access
at all times every part OF said establis hn1ent
Can the English language be made any
palmer?
will find this language:
THE Secretary OF Agriculture shaIi cause an
examination and inspection OF all cattle sheep'
swine and goats. and the food products thereof.
| slaughtered and prepared in the establishments
hereinbefore described. for the purposes OF IN
terstate or foreign commerce, to be made during
the night time as we'll during the day time.
when the saughtering of said cattle, sheep.
swine or goats the preparation OF said food
products Is conducted during the night time
Therefore in at least one of the two crttt-
cisnls YOU make OF the bill you must admit that
you are absolutely wrong
You say: Ia 49,, ,,.s.-. ,.,,, oh,s,, p,
a thOroughgOing inspection
PACKERS WANT RIGID LAW.
told you on Wednesday night when sub
mitted the bill to you that the packers insisted
before our committee on having a rigid inspec-
| ton law passed Their life depends upon il, and
the committee will bear me out in the statement
that they placed obstacle whatever in our
| way, but. on the contrary. gave us many vaiu-
| able suggestions. based upon their practical
knowledge OF their business.
| Your other actual criticism of the amendment
| refers to the court review clause, The worst
that can be said of this clause is that IL Is per-
| haps unnecessary IL is already covered by
| existing law l have been always taught TO
| honor the judiciary OF my country. have al
citizens and respect the rights OF property.
| and cannot believe that the mere repetition Of
! a provision which guarantees 10 the citizen the
| privilege OF appeal To the courts OF the land
when he believes his property rights are threat
ened can be Justly properly objected TO.
| The rest Of your letter deals with generalties
! and a general condemnation Of the committees
bill II YOU or your advisers will point out
| specifically wherein il actually fails 10 accom-
plish your purpose. can assure you II will be
promptly remedied.
| You say further along I'm your letter:
And I cannot even promise 10 sign II. be-
cause the provisions are so bad that In my
Z to prevent the Temedytng of the evils COM
| planned OF they could not have been worse"