New-York tribune., 1906-06-01
DEMAND MEAT REPORT
PRESIDENT MAY YIELD.
VU1Ous Substitutes for BeUerdge
amendment Introduced.
IRON The Tribune Bureau.l !

report of Special Investigators Neil and Rey-
! nods on the meat industry, is the opinion of
many members of Congress. There is a strong
feeling that matter how damaging this report
may be. its publication cannot do as great injury
/ as will its suppression. while sensational and
| perhaps exaggerated rumors. supposed 10 be
based it, have the widest circulation. There
| is. too. growing suspicion that the actual re-
| port will be found far less sensational than
| rumors TO its contents have led the public to
believe it. In any case. the feeling that it ought
to be made public is rapidly growing, and it
seems probable that the President will soon
deem it wise TO yield to this demand
The President held numerous consultations
with the friends and the opponents OF the Bev-
eridge amendment to-day, and several subsu-
tutes were introduced in the House. There Is
strong opposition in the Senate to change
which would render 1T necessary for the govern
ment to pay the cost of inspection, not because
the required TO defray this expense would
be large. but because, the plea Of economy.
enemies of the inspection would be certain in the
future TO cripple the work by pairing appropr1a-
tions made for it. This method of defeating the
legislation. it Is argued. would be impracticable
were the packers compelled to defray the small
cost OF inspection probably cents a head for
cattle and half that sum for sheep and hogs,
It is fatty maintained by friends of the Bever-
idge amendment that the substitutes being IN
troduced in the House are mere subterfuges IN
tended to compncate the situation and defeat the
ultimate enactment of efficient legislation on the
subject
BELIEVE MEASURE WILL STAND.
The leaders in the upper house believe that
the Beveridge bill, without material change, Will
become a law. They say there is great popular
demand for the legislation, and that whatever
may be the actual rights of the Beef Trust II
has so far forfeited the respect and confidence
of the public by its open violation Of the anti
trust law. a violation which ii confessed, that
the public would severely censure the defeat OF
the general inspection measure. 1t is pointed
out that the Beef Trust practically admitted
that il had deliberately violated the Sherman
law, and contented itself with pleading immu-
nifty from punishment the purely technical
ground that the government had come by legal
proof of such violation improperly. The public,
in the estimation OF the leaders. is certain TO
feel that wealthy packers who would hagrantly
violate a federal law in every manner possible
would have conscience when it came to feed
ing the public diseased meats. The leaders
believe, therefore. that the public demands dras-
tic legislation on this subject and will visit a
heavy penalty the party which defeats a
measure having for its sole purpose the safe
guarding OF the public from the rapacity OF the
packers
Representative WadswoFth. OF New York,
chairman Of the House Committee on Agricult-
ure. said to-day that the Secretary of Agricult-
ure and Commissioner Neill were assisting him
in the preparation of the bill which he purposes
10 submit TO the Committee on Agriculture as a
substitute for the Beveridge amendment II is
expected that a meeting OF the Committee on
Agriculture will be called tomorrow Satur
day consider the bills submitted Congress
men from the Western stockyards districts are
bringing pressure TO bear the Agricultural
Committee TO effect modification in the Bev-
eridge amendment One proposed amendment
will give the packers the right to go into court
in case they find themselves handicapped. The
packers. II is declared, want broad court
review" provision They say that they must
have some appeal in order protect themselves
from arbitrary action.
PACKERS MAY EVADE COST.
The packers are further seeking to have the
Beveridge amendment changed that the gov
ernment will pay the cost of inspection There
is some likelihood that the House committee
Will agree to this modification. Representative
Henry. of Connecticut, ranking member of the
Agricultural Committee. who introduced the
Beveridge bill in the House. said to-day that he
regarded this point immaterial What the
people want" he said 'is that the beef shall
be properly inspected. Whether the cost falls
on the government on the packers is a phase
of the legislation which be settled after
due consideration" Mr.. Henry is of the
House conferrees on the Agricultural bill, ana
his influence is likely to be strong in winning
the day for the Beveridge amendment. though
he will be willing 10 change the provision con-
cerning the cost OF inspection If the fate of the
bill seems TO be involved.
The fact that Representatives Crumpacker and
Wadsworth have prepared bills OF their own for
introduction substitutes for the measure
which bears Senator Beveridges name rather
complicates matters. and leaders in Congress
fear that others will catch the infection, so
that IA flood OF meat bills will bring about state
OF affairs similar 10 that early in the rate fight
when almost every Senator had a measure OF
his own which he wanted placed the statute
| books. Representative Wadsworth one OF
the early callers at the White House to-day
So were Speaker Cannon and Senator Carter
who has acted as the mouthpiece of the admins
tration in the preliminary skrmishes. Senator
Beverdge had his innings with the President
after luncheon.
With the exception of Representative Wads-
worth. the Presidents cOnsultants were inclined
TO be tactuTn. The Speaker said he was in a
hurry and did not have anything worth talking
| about anyway. Senator ReveTidge raced through
the anteroom leading from the Presidents Office
as though ne Were bent catching a train, and
| Mr.. WadswOrth himself said he pressed for
| time when asked make a statement regard
| ing beef inspection.
The packers will not put straw IN the way
| OF the bill" said Mr.. Wadsworth. "All they
want Is a fair. square bill that will protect the
| public. They are not after any advantage and
| are willing 10 abide by the decision OF Congress
! as TO the way the law shall be applied
| Representative Crumpackers substitute for
1 the Bcvegidse amendment defines the authority
which may he vested in the Secretary OF ASH
culture and limits IL so that IL viii not conflct
| with the police powers OF the states. Provision
| is made whereby the Secretary may accept the
inspection OF state inspectors as 70 tee sanitary