Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-08-23
THAT BAD BEEF MATTER.

/
week with leaflets from the Fusion
headquarters relating to an alleged
scandal in which certain state officials
are made to figure as being implicated
in the selling of condemned cattle,
paid for by the state as such, which
were later sold, or the voter is led to
believe were sold. for food meat The
independent Literary Bureau is using
this for its text in its newspaper adj
vertising this week. We ask every
voter to read it carefully, and then
weigh the subject If it Is true that
any officials of Vermont, either
through selfish motives or slackness in
the discharge Of their duties, have en-
gagged in feeding our people with tu-
,berculous meat, or have knowingly
permitted it to be done, swift and
severe punishment should be visited
upon them. And the administration
responsible for such officials cannot
| hope to escape blame.
But have they? Let US investigate
the charges. The claim is made in the
Clement advertising that "The state Of
Vermont ds) a dealer in diseased
meat The effort, Of course, is to
show that condemned meat has been
sold to dealers, under the authority Of
the proper state officials with the
knowledge that the meat was to be re-
tailed upon the unsuspecting public as
pure, healthiul food. Much political
capital might accrue to the democrats
ii this were established.
Anidavits of three persons are pre-
sented. Right here let us note that
these aililayits are all subscribed to
before either John II. Senter or II. c..
Shurtlef, both OF whom are active In
the present canvass in behalf OF the
Fusionist cause. What bearing this
has will appear later. The first two
ahidayits are those of men who saw
certain cattle that they knew bad been
tested and condemned as tuberculous,
ana paid for by the state as such,
slaughtered and dressed as good beef
is dressed, and given the same prepar-
alton as they supposed good beet re-
ceived when prepared for food. All
this was done at the Swift Rendering
plant in Burlington. Also they were
told that an inspector would be there
and stamp the meat that was all right.
Also they saw other parts Of beet
creatures from which parts were cut,
and one quarter was marked paul
German, Burlington
These two aflidavits are chiefly re-
markable tor what they don't say.
/ The atiidavits do not state that any
person in any way connected with the
state OF Vermont had any part in this
business except to direct the delivery
OF the condemned cattle to the Rem
ldering plant-a concern, by the way,
whose business is not butchering tor
market but the manufacture OF ami
NAL refuse, etc, into such products as
grease, oils, talIow, poultry foods, etc.
Ia proper place to send condemned
cattle, under authority OF the present
law Even further, the atlantis. who
IL may be believed, left nothing uu-
said that could truhiully be said, do
not say that the meat was TO the best
Of their knowledge and belief, pre-
pared and sold for eating they leave
that to be inferred by the reader As
to the paul German" aforesaid, there
is and was at the time named no per
son Of that name in Burlington.
1t is possible that the swift Render
ing company at Burlington has taken
animals that came to it as condemned
and has disposed OF them for food pur-
poses Ii so, there should and will be
Immediate investigation, prosecution
and punishment. We understand the
matter is to be taken up at once by the
authorities.
The third affidavit has a more direct
bearing upon the political side. It
comes from a reputable Montpelier
merchant who states that in converse
ton with State Auditor Graham
about this same matter Mr.. Graham
told him il was true that some con-
demnel beet had been sold BY the
state to the Swiits Tor meat purposes.
but that this was not done until it had
been pronounced by veterinarians to
be harmless Tor eating. This brought
the case right home to the Republican
administration in a way doubtless
pleasing to the instigators OF this ani-
davit business. Mr.. Graham immedi-
ately denied making any such state.