The National tribune., 1906-06-14
THE MEAT IMBROGLIO.

The result of the Agricultural Com
mittee's Investigations makes a rigid in
| spection law inevitable, and the main
| question is as to who shall pay the cost.
The members of the Committee real
| ize that the Beyeridge amendment rep
resents substantially the earnest wishes
of the people, but close study of it de-
velOps that it was hastily and crudely
drawn. and some of its features are so
! loosely worded and SO stringent as to
threaten to defeat the purpose of the
measure.
In the matter of paying for the in
spection there are four propositions be-
| fore the Committee. The first is that
of the Beveridge amendment. which
proposes to put the whole cost upon the
packers. Next is that of the Wadsworth
substitute. which puts all the cost on
the Government; that of Judge Cowan,
representative of the National Live
Stock Association, to make a fiat ap-
preparation and provide that IL ii shall
be exhausted the Secretary of Agricul-
ture may levy fees to meet the de-
ficiency; and, fourth, that of some of
the members of the Committee, espe-
cially favored by the Democrats. that
a small fee shall be charged the pack
ers. and a contingent appropriation be
made to cover any deficiency
The Cowan proposition to make fiat
appropriation of. say, $2,000,000. and
assess upon the packers all required be-
yond that sum, meets with most favor
from members of the Committee.
The next important item is the con-
stitutional question. Congress has OBJ
viously no power to compel packers to
observe certain sanitary regulations. as
the Beveridge amendment attempts.
That is matter entirely within the po-
lice powers of the States, and without
the sphere of Congressional action. But
Congress can direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to exclude from Interstate
commerce such goods as do not comply
with the laws Congress may make.
The next change relates to the use
of preservatives. The language of the
Beveridge amendment is too loose in
phraseology and drastic in terms. The
Committee favors language prohibiting
the use of anything which will in any
way unfit the meat for human food, and
is evenly divided upon the phrases
sound and wholesome" and "fit for hu-
man food" The Beveridge provision
that all cans must be labeled with the
date of inspection will be eliminated.
the Committee being of opinion that if
properly canned the product will last
indefinitely.
The Beyeridge provision that con-
demned carcasses must be destroyed will
be also eliminated. 1t will be provided
that they shall be destroyed for food
purposes only, enabling their use in the
preparation of fertilizers and greases.
It was shown to the Committee, for in
stance, that hogs affected with trichino-
sis, although unfit for human food.
could be rendered into lard which was
entirely pure and good. DIR. Melvin cor
roborated this statement. The Commit
tee will also provide for the use of parts
of carcasses which have been found
partly unsound. This will cover the case
of animals hurt in transit 1t often oc-
ours that a steer will be shoulder
bruised or have leg broken. That does
not affect the condition of the rest of
the carcass, and the packers will be
permitted to use the unaffected portion
The last subject of change is the pro-
vision exempting farmers. The Bever-
idge rider fails to take into account the
hundreds of small butchers who liveI
near State lines. If enacted as it stands
it would either throw all these out of
business or it would cost the Govern
ment millions annually to give them in
spection.