New-York tribune., 1906-07-25
BARS NEAT IMPORTS.
ONE EFFECT OF NEW Ia w.
Sale of Foreign Delicatessen Pos
sible OnIy in Seaboard States.
LTrom T.he TrIbune Bureau. D


these products from state to state. although II
is probable that they be sold in the state
into which they are imported
The meat inspection law requires that all food
animals must be inspected by the representatives
of the Secretary of Agriculture at the time Of
slaughter and the products watched through the
various stages of their preparation and finally
tagged by the federal inspectors. II provides
further that meats or meat products shall
be carried in interstate commerce by any COM
mon carrier unless they are branded. proving
that they nave been so inspected.
In view of the fact that Germany has re-
Gently passed and that the German Emperor
has signed. a meat inspection law which spe-
cifcally provides for the slaughter Of dogs for
human food, providing only that their entrails
must not be offered for consumption, the aver
age American citizen will probably regard him
self just as well off without the German sausage
and similar delicacies, and even forego the pate
de foie gras which may be made in whole or in
part OF canine livers. Under the authority con-
ferTed on him some time ago, Secretary Wilson
is now subjecting to the closest scrutiny all inn
ported food and food products with view to
excluding all which contain substances dele
teTfous to health, and he is doubtless succeed
ing. although it is probematical how far in his
process of exclusion the Secretary can cater to
the aesthetic taste of the American consumer.
ments of pate de foie gras which were obviously
of material other than goose livers. and he
rigidly bars all such products which contain
chemical preservatives
Our latest trouble with imports Of this char
acter, said the Secretary to-day. has been with
Chinese duck eggs. You know the Chinese rivers
swarm with ducks. Now, it has been the habit
of the thrifty Chinese to take every egg that
became slightly spoiled or cracked or broken
q iufO r-ifI, o.
boracic acid This acid checks bacterial growth
and prevents further decomposition The crooks.
when FULL were sealed up and sent to this cOun-
try where our bakers make these ancient duck
eggs into pastries and pies. We have put a
stop to the of boracic acid, however. Now
they picking these eggs with from 1S to 20
per cent salt. but that does not preserve them
well, and there is less profit in the business and
also less danger of their being foisted on the in
nOcent consumer"
THE DELICATESSEN PRODUCTS.
Speaking of the delicatessen products. the Sec
retary said:
We will not allow the importation of any of
these things which treated with injurious
chemicals or which are not what they are repre-
sented to be. if know it. l do not know
whether it would be possible for us to detect a
greater or less percentage of dog flesh in an i'm
ported German sausage, for instance. We have
the most expert chemists in the world but there
are limits even to the analytical powers Of
chemistry.
Asked how the consumer of delicatessen prod
ucts could be safe from eating things he would
not knowingly put into his stomach the Secre-
tary said:
The only absolute safeguard which the Ameri-
can consumer will have will he to insist on see-
ing the federal inspection tag. We can label all
of the large~ sausage. all tongues hams and
on and if the packers will put up the smaller
products in sealed packages tag the
packages and so secure to the consumer clean,
cisely what it contains
OF course. this does not apply to imported
products, but why should we want imported
products? Our own packers and purveyors
and do put up just as good meat products of
every description can be imported. and in
fact, most of the so-caled imported products
made in this country according to foreign
formulas and sold at higher prices because they
are sold for imported goods. The consumer has
TO pay the freight.
You must remember that this department has
no jurisdiction meats and meat products
prepared within a state for the local market
We cannot do anything with regard to those
The slaughter houses and packing houses of the
country will be divided into two classes those
which enjoy federal inspection and those which
do not
FEDERAL TAGS A GUARANTEE
But cannot all enjoy the privileges of federal
inspection and secure the federal tags on their
! goods by selling some goods in another state
and then representing TO you that they wish to
do an interstate business?' was asked
They can and doubtless many of them WILL"
was the reply.
"Then, Mr.. Secretary, the American consumer
can enjoy all OF the benefits of your inspection,
| can rest assured that he is getting a healthful.
unadulterated, correctly branded article of food
| by merely insisting that everything in the meat
! line which comes into his kitchen bears the
federal tag?"
Precisely" replied the Secretary Let him
see that all his meat products bear tags reading
| fpSD nd mas SSa6' or hat
are cut from carcasses bearing these tags, and
| he will be absolutely safe. And il this is too
much trouble then he must take his chances Of
| being fooled"
Inquiry shows that the amount of meats and
| meat products imported is small as clearly 70
| assumption that the imported" products which
are listed almost every restaurant bill of
| fare are largely made in this country The
! tire importation of meats and meat products in
| the last year amounted to only S132, 40, and
despite the fact that most Of the so-called 'im-
! ported" meat products bore the name OF
| German city, the imports from Germany of
| this description amounted to only about $685.
600 In these circumstances the prohibition
| against carrying these imported meats in inter
state commerce is likely to work hardship only
| to those who have been deceving the public by
January the labelling Of domestic products
imported will also be illegal, then the Pure
Food law will go into effect.
It is expected at the Department of Agricult-
ure that the regulations covering the meat in
spection will be issued on Thursday Friday
and that inspection under the new law win be
instituted early next month.
MR. LEIsHMAN AT C0NSTANTIN0PLE