New-York tribune., 1906-06-16
REPORTS OF MINORITY.
Tsco, Each attacking Beef Inspec
tion Substitute, Filed.

Washington June 1.-Two reports by Members
of the minority OF the House Committee on Agri-
culture who refused TO sign the meat inspection
substitute, filed to-day. The first signed
by Representatives Lamb of Virginia; Bowie. Of
Alabama snd Gambler of Mississippi.
I'm our opinion" It says, "the Beveridge amend
ment after correcting certain minor provisions. will
be far better bill and accomplish the purpose in
tended satisfactorily than is possible under
the provisions of the House substitute"
The placing Of the cost the government. the
court review and the waving of the Civil Service
law for one year in the selection of inspectors
the principal points the substitute objected to.
After stating that the packers are to blame for
existing conditions. the report says:
Can it be tolerated that those whose acts have
endangered the public health and undermined the
hr eY aW craaad ne n anH
kind; and with the added premium Of 100000 an
nually from the Treasury of the United States to
pay the expenses of correcting their own wrongs?
Commenting on the testimony before the commit
tee. the report says that the only contradiction
made to the Neill-Reynolds report was by the
general manager of one of the packing houses,
who undertook TO testify not only to tho con-
diton in his own establishment but in that of
all other establishments in the city of Chicago.
and who not only undertook to testify in rebuttal
OF statements made by Messrs Neill and Reyn-
olds TO the facts within their knowledge about
conditions in other establishments than his own.
but actually made statements upon conditions that
had transpired when he not in Chicago
all. and therefore could not possibly have had per
sonal knowledge of the matters about which he as
sumed 10 enghten the committee
The court review provision Of ,he substitute is
characterized a sword the heads OF the
inspectors engaged in the discharge Of their du-
ties. which will cripple materially he efficiency of
the service.
Under this provision the report says a federal
circuit Judge review the finding of any in
spector and of the Secretary OF Agriculture
whether on point Of sanitation or with respect to
the condition OF any meat meat food products
and thereby have the inspection system of the
United States intended protect the public health
10 be tried and controlled by the federal circuit
courts. We assert that 1t is not proper judicial
function which they have attempted TO impose
upon the courts
clared 10 be IAN unsound and vicious policy" The
inspectors appointed within the period named, it
says will hold Office for life.
The second minority report signed by Rep
resentatives Haugen, of Iowa. and Davis of Min
nesota~ The same fault is found with the court
review proposition and the Civil Service amend
ment as in the first minority report. AS TO the
cost OF inspection, Messrs. Haugen and Davis be-
heve the government should pay the of the
ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections. They
believe the packers should that Of such fur
ther inspection sanitation, etc. as may be neces-
sary TO insure clean and healthful products
1t IS urged that a sufficient amount of money
should be appropriated initally the nspec
pense TO be borne by the packers it recommends
that the Secretary of Agriculture ascertain what
this cost will be and charge fee TO cover il on
each carcass This fee is then to be collected by
the Secretary of the Treasury and turned into the
Treasury The fee is 10 be uniform and in amount
only sufficient 20 cover the of the inspection
The report ends with the statement that there
are good features in both the Beveridge amend
ment and in the substitute but the signers of the
report prefer the Beverdge amendment TO the sub
stitute
The Civil Service commissioners are disturbed
over the provision in the Meat Inspection bill pre-
pared by the House Committee on Agriculture re-
garding the appointment of the inspectors AS
drawn the bill makes il mandatory for the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture TO appoint the inspectors from
time TO time, but there no restrictions placed
on the Secretary TO the character of the nspec-
spectors are not set forth. Commissioner Creena
said to-day:
If the bill passes in that form forty-hve persons
now on the civil Service eligible list for appoint
ment as meat inspectors in all probability win go
unappOlntec, fnasmuch II is fair to presume that
political pressure will have weight in filing the
places An eNamina tion is scheduled for June %,
ana already many inquiries reaching the com
mission regarding it. am speaking conservativ
when say that the result of tina. examination
from fifty to seventyfve additional elgbles will he
obtained and that the commission can furnish in
spectors as fast as the Agricultural Department can
them.
aminations OF the commission were extremely prac-
tical, and that those who pass them were tbor
oughly qualified for the work '