Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-19

with the enforcement of the law that the
big establishments will not he disposed
to separate the product designed for in
terstate commerce from that designed for
the trade within the state In which the
packing house is located. II this turns out
to be the effect OF the practical working of
the law It will be possible for the people
OF a particular state to get government
stamped meat from a packing house Sit
uated within that state; to put II another
way. they will not get any other kind II
the packing house insist on their entire
product being stamped.
At the outset, Secretary Wilson points
out, there will be two classes OF packing
houses or Strengthening houses in this coun-
try-the houses that put their products into
interstate commerce, and therefore must
have government inspection, and the
houses that do a local business only and
do not have to have government fnspec-
ton. II, as some OF the government OH
Gals believe, the public will refuse to take
meat or meat products that do not bear the
government label. the houses that do only
a local business will have to obtain govern
ment inspection or go out OF business. IL
will take time. the government omcials
say, to determine what the effect Of the
cities have their duties to perform Just
as though the congress had not enacted
meat inspection law. 1t is pointed out that
most Of the large cities are largely supplied
from local abattoirs. 1t will be for munich
pal authorities 10 keep an eve on those
establishments II they want TO be sure that
their people are to get wholesome meat and
meat products. Possibly the federal In
spection never will be extended to these
purely local institutions, and so. the depart
ment suggests that II behooves local au-
thorities to be more vigilant than ever be-
fore.
Interstate Business.
The last census found S29 meat packing
establishments in the United States. 1t is
estimated that the number has increased to
100 or 100 since 1900 1t is assumed that
most of these establishments do an inter-
state business and will therefore have TO
have government inspection II they wish
to maintain an interstate trade So far
only about $50 establishments have applied
for inspection. The bureau Of animal in
dustry looks for a rush TO get on the band
wagon" as soon as the packers who have
not made application discover that their
products are shut out OF interstate COM
merce and that the public Is refusing 20
buy meat that does not have the govern
ment stamp on II. In the meantime secre-
tary Wilson proposes TO keep up his per-
sonal investigations During the last week
he slipped out OF Washington Icing enough
TO have a look through several establish
ments, and he has planned TO make these
little excursions whenever the routine work
in his ONCE will permit. He is making
clear that every packing establishment that
puts its products into interstate commerce
must submit 10 inspection, An encouras-
ing feature OF the situation is the favorable
attitude OF the railroads. Most OF the large
systems have voluntarily announced that
they will assist In the enforcement Of the
law by refusing to accept for shipment to
a point outside the state In which the
product originated meat OF meat products
that do not bear the government label
While the department has every reason 10
believe that the roads propose TO act In
good faith. government inspectors will see
70 II that there are no violations OK the
law.
II is believed the immediate effect OF
the enforcement OF the new law will be the
restoration OF the foreign trade. which has
experienced q remarkable slump since