The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-13
NEW Mat INSPECTION RULES
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w~asHtEdfos. June p-Tha to,.~ Cosu.
ml,tee on Agriculture to-day ccntlau@d
Ne wofh ~ vivl-ection upon the Bevefldes
meat inspection amendment ~ the .Aafi.
cultural Appropriation hill When h had
concl,Hied tho %amendmen, was left q mers
skeleton upon which tho commttee then
prooeeded Ia mould Ia " mea, INSPECTION
provision. when one member ~ tho com-
mites was asked tonight vha, had becoms
Of the Bevcrldge provision hs replied that
In his opinion 10 would require a micro
soopic examination 90 ind II, ~ little vas
left Of the original language Of the amend-
ment.
The committee has however, prepared a
substitute with which a majority Of the
members are IN accord. and which Il IL be-
lieved will not only meet tho requirements
Of the situation fully, hut at the same time
will prove satisfactory to all parties con-
oerned the packers, the cattle men and
chs public.
The proposed substitute was practically
agreed upon to-day with the exception
OF one or two minor provisions and the
matter Of cost Of the inspection. This
latter question will he decided at a meeting
Of the committee tomorrow morning,
and the agricultural bill, together with the
meat inspection amendment, will be re-
ported 20 the House Tomorrow afternoon,
unless something unforeseen should arise.
II IL regarded az quite probable that the
committee will vote to increase the appro-
p~riation for the Bureau Of Animal Industry
no as TO provide 81, 0O0, 900 for meat inspec-
ton. This Is slO0. 600 or more in excess Of
the stimat Of DR.. Melvin, the chief ofthe
bureau, based upon the number Of cattle,
sheep and swine inspected last year.
Some Of the members OF the committee,
however, prefer to fix a tax Upon the stock
slaughtered at s cents per head for cattle
and calves and 3 cents per head for sheep
and swine, together with an appropriation
Of $780, 900 for emergencies. There were
slaughtered and inspected last year in
the neighborhood Of 1000, 900 cattle and
calves, %, 200, 900 hogs and nearly 100000
sheep, and this number, together with the
additional number which would be inspected
under the proposed new law, would, it is
estimated, at the bead tax named, raise a
revenue of nearly s 1900, 900. 1t is thought,
however, that the committee will make
the $4,000, 900 appropriation direct.
The substitute provides the machinery
for inspection and then stipulates that the
Secretary of Agriculture shall exact such
requirements 'as may be necessary to in.
form hinoaaf onNarntn n thu aantfaHv am
ditions and TO prescribe the rules and regu-
lations Of sanitation under which such es-
Establishments (abattoirs and packing houses>
shall be maintained; and where the sani-
tary conditions Of any such establishment
are such that the meat food products are
rendered unsound, unhealthful, unwhole-
some or otherwise unfit for human food
he shall refuse to allow the same to be
labelled, marked, stamped or tagged as in
spected and passed"
TIL measure then provides that prod
ucts which are not properly labelled,
stamped and tagged shall not be admitted
into interstate commerce.
1t is also possible that the committee
will agree to a further amendment pro-
viding that all goods which are offered
for interstate commerce and not prop
erly stamped, labelled and tagged as in
spected shall be condemned and destroyed,
although some members of the committee
hold that the Government has no right TO
condemn and destroy.
In other words, the substitute provides
that before any meat food product may
be admitted into interstate mme
1t must first be properly labelled, stamped
and tagged, which labelling, stamping and
tagging will indicate that 1t has been prop
erly inspected ard that the conditions
under which It was prepared were sanitary
and in compliance with the rules and reg
lbations prescribed by the Secretary Of
agriculture.
The substitute will strike out Of the
Beveridge amendment the provision re-
the date OF canning to be stamped
upon the label OF the can. The committee
held that there had beer no evidence
offered tending to show that meat food
products IL kept hermetically sealed would
not remain In good condition indefinitely, and
hence that there was no necessity for re-
that a can should bear upon its
label the date upon which its contents
we're prepared.
The label will be required, however, 10
show the contents Of the can to the ex-
tent that 1t contains nothing deleterious
to health. The bill will not prevent the use
Of such personalities as are not deleteri-
Gus to health, but this lie a matter which
lie left to the discretion Of the Secretary
Of Agriculture under the provision for
inspection. In other words, the inspectors
will not label, stamp and tag as inspected
and passed any Q food products which
preservatives which are held to be
to health.
The committee got over the matter Of
inspection for the mail butchers, which has
been a matter Of much dispute, by agreeing
the substitute shall include a provision
this subject to the discretion OF the
Secretary. 1t is the intent of the substitute
that the small butchers shall be eliminated
from inspection. that is, those who slaughter
only q few head Of cattle a day, some Of
may pass into interstate commerce.
It does not draw any line, but leaves the
matter wholly to the discretion Of the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture, who may order inspec-
ton Of such establishments where he deems
1t necessary and practicable, and he may
extend the inspection as far as he desires
the limit Of the appropriation Of
money available for such plrposes.