Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-11
A MEAT Conference
President Talks With Members
of Senate and House.
Representative HENRY
Progress Being Made on Line Of
Beveridge Amendment.
THE SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS
May Be Submitted by Messrs. NeilI
and Reynolds If It Becomes
Necessary.
THE SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS

Meat inspection laws. and how to pass
them so as to suit the country and the va<
rious interests involved. was the subject Of
conference the President had today with
Speaker Cannon and Senator Hopkins Of
Illinois. Senator Beveridge of Indiana and
Representative Henry of Connecticut who
Is member of the House committee on
agriculture, now at work upon measure.
likewise talked with the President but at
different times during the day.
Speaker Cannon. picturesque, breezy.
said: Now. boys, / have not had five
minutes talk with the House COMMITTEES
handling this matter. Il have no doubt tha
committee will prepare wise bill for the
House. and when 1t gets up TO us we will
act upon 1t. 1t does not occur to me that
Congress will find It difficult to arrange this
matter. so that everybody Will be satis-
fed.
According to all the facts we have had
before u.s. even from the report of the Cow
ernmeht investigators, ~ per cent of the
packing-house products are above sus-
Hicloii, as good as anybody wants 10 eat.
Our ann VIII be to prepare a measure that
VIII provide for proper supervision ana
inspection that will set at rest all doubt as
TO the remaining per cent. an inspection
as SpiiSisttht Win NDOrougnneSS and EaIety
as can be made and as cheap as can be
made with rigid scrutiny OF all parts of tho
animal at all stages of preparation: one
tnat Will work the least inconvenience to
all interests concerned
How is your appetite for meat these
days, anyhow the Speaker was asked
Never been better" he declared when I
eat ar home and have to pay for 1t i get
meat Just the same as l have always done,
and when eat with friends and they pay
for 1t never fail to make ii cost them
something. Besides, Chicago meat is the
best in the world and don't propose TO be
frightened off from doing my duty toward
good piece of meat"
When Legislation May Be Expected.
The Speaker said that legislation for meat
inspection would go on the books just as
soon as a "deliberative House and a non-
deliberative Senate can get together"
Representative Henry stated that every
thing was proceeding in the direction of
a solution OF the meat problem that would
be satisfactory all around. Il do not know
exactly what it viii be-" he said But 1
am inclined to think II will be along the
line of the Beveridge amendment
Senator Beveridge was sanguine that his
amendment would be enacted into law,
The President, Ii is stated, has not
changed front in the matter in any form,
and is giving his strongest support to the
amendment of the Indiana senator.
Il see good deal about the unconstitu-
tionality of the amendment" said Senator
Beveridge. but that is all stuff 1t is con-
stitutional in every line. If II is not, then
we have no right to inspect meat for ex-
port. The payment OF the cost of inspec-
tion by the packers is the only safe way
this matter can be arranged: If IL is paid
by the government 1T viii not be any time
before Congress win be cutting down the
appropriation for inspection until the good
to be accomplished will dwindle to almost
nothing"
Speaker Cannon would not venture
prediction as to when Congress would ad-
journ, saying it would be some time before
August L. while Senator Hopkins. who ac-
companied him. predicted that June 20
would see adjournment at hand.
May Be Supplementary Reports.
II meat inspection legislation satisfactory
to the President shall be enacted by tho
House, 1t is not likely that any supple
mentary section of the Neill-Reynolds re-
port will be made. On the other hand,
there is enough material to construct a
couple of supplementary sections of the re-
port dealing with the use of chemicals ana
preservatives and other matters of public
interest should ii be necessary to use them.
There have been all sorts of reports float
ing around of the forthcoming moves In
the meat war. 1t has been said that there
have been a lot of secret service men in
the stock yards, and that they were due
in Washington today to make a report to
the President. 1t can be said that IL there
has been such an investigation 1t has been
entirely outside the scope of the Neill-
Reynolds report and has nothing to do
with II.
Conference With Commissary General
1t is true, however, that there have been
some conferences between the commissioner
of labor and Commissary General Sharpe
with view to ascertaining whether the
inspectors of the army were keeping up
with their work. All the work for the army
In the meat line is done under special con-
tract, and the army has a small force OF
inspectors of Its own. Two of these are
in Chicago and one in Omaha and
the other in Kansas City. Beside these, use
is made of the regular army officers that
are available when necessary. The civilian
inspectors are certified to the army by the
of Agriculture. and are then
carried on the pay roll of the army and
are under It's direct control. Part of the
question between the Presidents commits
sioners and the commissary general was
from the viewpoint of an outsider,
the civilian inspectors were keeping up with
their work. The commissioners were able
to report that they were, SO far casual
showed, and as they were de-
tailed to follow the meat through all OF
its processes, and were not, like the Agri-
cultural Department inspectors. merely de-
tailed to make an ante-mortem and a post
mortem examination of the carcass
The hearings before the House committee
on agriculture are finished, and 1t remains
now TO get bill drafted that viii satisfy
the House, viii not be too rank to pass
the Senate and that will meet with the ap-
proval so far as may be of the President.
1t is thought that the packers have pro-
larger number of friends in the
agricultural committee of the House than
they have on the fioor, and 1t Is now said
that the packers have receded from their
demand that the whole cost Of inspection
shall be borne by the government and ere
willing to pay for at least part Of ir them
selves. That Is to say, they are willing to
pay for as much of the inspection as thcy
have to, but there Is said to be provision
In the bill drafted that will allow the Sec
retary of Agriculture to appoiat supplement
tary inspectors and pay than OUT CT fees
collected from the animals killed.
Friends Of Inspection Measure
The friends of the inspection nseasurs
sIaim that this plan has the tacit APP
oroval Of the President" whatever that
nay mean II II snid also that there arr