New-York tribune., 1906-06-14
FOR RIGID INSPECTION
HOUSE MEAT BILL READY.
Puts Cost of Supervision on Coos
ernment Packers Claim Victory.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau.l !


Washington. June 13.-The packers claim al
decisive victory in the action taken by the
House Committee Agriculture to-day. Thes
committee, after three days deIiberation, deei
cided to report substitute for the Beveridg4
bill. throwing the cost of meat inspection ON
the government and appropriating $4,000. 00O fos'
this purpose. This action was taken in the faces
of the earnest representations of the Secretary
of Agriculture. who has explained that it IS nosl
the cost Of inspection which he fears. but the
almost inevitable course of the committees %
future Congresses, which will. in all probabilitys
gradually curtail the appropriated for this
inspection. or at least, fail TO increase it in pro
portion to the growth OF the industry until the
service is crippled by lack of funds. The forca
of Secretary Wilson's contention is demons
strated as clearly by the strenuous efforts OF tho
packers to defeat the Secretary's recommended
ton as by the explanations OF the Secretary
himself The cost IN itself would be so small,
not to exceed eight cents each for large carr
casses. and half that sum for sheep and hogs,
that 1t is inconceivable that the packers WOULD
exert so much energy merely 10 save this slighc
percentage of the value of a carcass. and thefr
efforts to prevent the law being made automatio
and independent Of further legislation by Con-
gress are regarded by those opposed to the Beef
Trust as strong evidence of the Importance OF
the provision contained in the Senate amend-
ment whereby the inspection is TO be paid Tor nE
fees collected from the packers
Another feature Of the bill provides for tha
broadest kind OF court review" so that the
packers may enjoy unlimited opportunity to ap-
neal from the rulings of the Secretary OF Agri<
culture and his inspectors. and to prectpttats
endless litigation. Still another provision elirn-
mates for one year the necessity of civil servics
examinations for the inspectors to be employed
| II was asserted tonight by the friends of tbs
| hackers that they had won on every point they
| contested and that the committee had overs
ruled every provision of the Beveridge BILL ex~
| cent the one for inspection itself There was a
| lively fight in the committee over the question:
| Of cost OF inspection. The friends of the Senate
nrovision made every effort to save it, and finally
| lost by vote OF 7 TO J. "A minority report WIZ
| be made to the House.
| It is nor believed that the Senate Will cOnsent
10 the substitute and if the House stands by its
or,roittee and fnstructs its conferrees to insist.
| there will be an extremely lively debate in the
senate IN which the Beef Trust will be handled
| without gloves Senator Lodge. in the remarks
he made yesterday on measure affecting tina
rvastocle industry. gave some indications OF the
severity Of the structures which will be passed.
on the Beef Trust and its methods
PROVISIONS OF THE NEW BILL f
The hill in addition to placing the cost OF ths
tnsnection on the government and making an
annual automatic appropriation of S-soUO'Ooo Co
nav the expense, requires a rigid post-moFterrf
and ante-rnortem inspection OF all animals killed
for food a government label passport for
all meat and meat products which enter tnter-
state commerce and certificate OF purity 70 thi
carrier and to the Secretary OF Agriculture for
all such products which enter foreign commerce.
To obtain this label the product must be hans
died in accordance with sanitary regulations 20
be prescribed by the Secretary OF Agriculture.
who is authorized 20 employ, without regard To
the Civil Service law. for the first year. an ade-
ouate corps OF efficient inspectors to supervise
the enforcement OF his regulations.
It prohibits the use OF preservatives or chern-
icas which ara deleterious health in the prep
aration OF meat foods. and leaves the determina-
ton of this question 10 the Secretary OF Agri-
culture. The label on the product is to indicate
the ingredients. but the date OF manufacture Is
not required to be stated.
The sanitary requirements which the Secre
. tarv Is 20 prescribe and enforce must insur,
) ! complete sanitation as TO all buildings. whethe
. slaughter houses or canning establishments.
There are many penalty clauses attaching q
violations OF all these provisions The com
mon carrier Is subject TO a heavy penalty IL h
6 accepts for transportation any goods not beaE
ing the government label. or. in case OF fOreis
shipments IN addition 20 the label. not accom-
panied by the required certificate. The packer
are subject TO a heavy penalty for false labellln
as to contents OF packages. Trade names az
to be allowed in some cases. IN the discretion c
q the Secretary. but IN all cases the contents {
!: the package must be stated.
The violation OF any OF the provisions OF II