The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-06-06
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ment was made, with considerable
flourish, that an adjournment would
be reached by the first of May. But
early in January, it became apparent
that it would be impossible to finish
up absolutely necessary business in
four months, and the date was fixed
in consequence as June first, when
the first session of the fifty-ninth con-
gress would come to an end. The
house promptly disposed Of the bill to
provide for federal regulation of rail-
way rates, but the senate required
nearly two months to adequately dis
cuss that measure, and in the mean
time, practically all other business
was shunted to the back ground. Still
there is talk of early adjournment
The date now fixed as get-away-day
is June goth, but the probabilities are.
be necessary and, it is in fact far
session on the goth of July, than that
it will adjourn 80 days earlier.
The so-called Beveridge amendment
to the agricultural appropriation bill
which provides far more rigid inspec-
ton of meat products was put through
the senate without any consideration
whatever. Senator Proctor said today
that he had not even read the amend
ment. although he is chairman of the
committee on agriculture and had
charge of the bill, because he was
anxious that the measure should
be disposed of in the house, and he
felt confident that any incongruities
or rough places in the amendment
would be smoothed out when the bill
is taken up by the conferees.
No subject up in congress this ses-
sion has received such prompt and
widespread attention, as this Bev-
eridge amendment. 1t was naturally
assumed, that the packers would op-
pose the proposition and all sorts of
inaccurate information concerning the
position of those men towards it has
been spread broadcast. The facts are,
however, that the packers to a man
have signified their willingness to SUBJ
nit to any sort of inspection regula-
tons which the government may pre-
scribe. 1t is also untrue that they
are making strenuous efforts to have
the Beveridge prOviso amended, so as
to compel the government to pay the
cost of inspection. 1t would seem, I'M
der the circumstances, that the con-
ferees would have an easy row to
hoe in getting together on this one
item. But serious question has
arisen and, that is what will be the
effect of compelling the packer to pay
the cost of inspection"
Of course, everyone realizes that
the packer is not essentially phil
anthropist and if he is compelled to
pay additional expenses, he is dead
sure to get it back from some one.
If it cost a cent pound to inspect
meat and the packer is compelled to
pay that cost, he will very naturally
add that cent to the price he charges,
the jobber or the dealer.
But he has another alternative, and
it is the one he will probably accept.
He will buy all his hogs, sheep and
cattle subject to government inspec-
ton. When the drover brings a car
load of stock into the yards at Omaha,
Kansas City, Chicago or Buffalo, he
will find buyer ready to take them,
provided they pass the government in
spection. The drover or the cattle
owner must accept the terms of the
buyer, whether he be packer, or the
owner of small abbatoir, and he
must wait for his pay until the govern
ment veterinarians have passed upon
the healthfulness of the stock, which
he has to sell. No buyer in his senses
will take the risk of purchasing ami
mails which in an hour may be con-
signed to the fortified plant. The
drover, if he has carload or train
load of cattle, may possibly go back
to the stock-grower and demand a re-
fund of the purchase price of rejected
steers. But in the case of hogs and
sheep, this will be impossible. AS the
matter stands today, the packer buys
the cattle as they run, and all those
found to be unfit for food, in spite of
the sensational reports to the con-
trary, are consigned to the fortified
plants. Still it is admitted, that the
inspection does not go far enough, and
the Beverage amendment is a long
step in the right direction and its
adoption will do much towards re-
lieving the public mind, both in this
country, and abroad, from the fear of
unwholesome food products.
But the Beveridge amendment must
be followed by state legislation, If the
entire country is to be relieved of the
danger which turks in carcass of a
food animal. Today the government
inspection tag, which must be placed
upon every carcass leaving slaughter
house and designed for Interstate or
foreign trade, is a partial guarantee
at least, that the slaughtered animal
showed no signs of disease. But the
country butcher-the man who sells
meat, whether it be pork, mutton or
beef-in the small country town is
subjected to no supervision what
ever. He can, and frequently does,
Kill and sell hog, or a COW which
would be promptly rejected If It were
subjected to federal inspection. The
federal authorities have not, and can
not have, any Jurisdiction over the
local butcher whose meats are sold
within few miles of the place In
which they are slaughtered. Only the
states can regulate these places and
state regulation will probably follow
the Beveridge amendment.
E. G. Snyder.