Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-06-18

Fargo Forum: What is needed to
properly regulate the packinghouse in
dustry and insure that only pure fool
is turned out of the big plants is law
which shall make it necessary that all
meat intended for interstate CON-
merce as we'll as that which is to lie
shipped abroad shall be carefully r.
spected by federal authorities, and one
which shall force the packers rather
than the government to stand the cost
of inspection. This in brief is a sum-
mary of what DR.. r. n. Treacy, gov
eriment cattle inspector for the states
of North and South Dakotas anG
Montana, says is the best legal
remedy for the revolving state Of
affairs revealed in Upton Sinclairs
Jungle" and the reports of the
commissioners recently appointed by
President Roosevelt to investigate
packing-house methods and conditions.
DR.. Treacy has seen service in the
stockyards and packing houses Of
Chicago, having been one of the in
spectors there for six months before
coming west to take up his present
duties, and he possesses thorough
knowledge of conditions as they exist
in the packinghouses which he acquir-
ed from personal experience. He is
warm in his defense Of the govern
ment inspectors who, he says, have
always had too much to do. 1t has
been usual to allow two inspectors for
an establishment running ten hours
and slaughtering 1000 cattle a day,
while in some of the Chicago houses
where 800 hogs are billed every hour
| there are only two, inspectors and
these take turns so that only one is on
duty at time. Under these circum.
stances proper and careful inspec-
ton of all the meat is impossible.
Another weakness of the method at
present in vogue pointed out by DR..
Treacy, is that the inspection does
not go far enough. It does not follow
the meat clear through all the various
processes and proceeds but little
further. than the killing floor. Here
the various carcasses are tagged by
the inspector. From the floor they
pass into the cooler and some of them
may later be cut up or treated in some
manner without the knowledge of the
inspector. There is no inspection OF
the byproducts, such as lard, or OF
the canned goods when they are being
put up. IS .. ,. is g.
This is all due, DR.. Treacy says, not
to the inefficiency of the federal in
spectors but to their small number
land to the feet that the department is
continually short of funds with which
to pay the men to do the work.
! .There is some talk" said DR..
Treacy, ''of the politicians making a
grand stand play and having the gov.
eminent make larger appropriations
for the work; but that would only
serve as temporary remedy. AS
soon as the matter quieted down or
there was change of administration
or a change of sentiment in the house
or senate and the need was felt for a
lretrenchment the department would
suffer.
"The appropriation has always been
too small and the service has never
been full because It was impossible to
lget good men to do the work for the
Isalaries which were offered con
tinued the doctor. "The present Law
provides that government inspectors
shall be sent to these packinghouses
when the packers make request fol
them. In the past there have moi
Ieven been enough men to send to The
houses which asked for inspection. /
AT one time funds were so low
/ that 1t was found necessary to lei
Ian the girls in the microscopic depart
iment go" sS
The best remedy for this cond itio1
of affairs DR.. Treacy believes is t
make the packers pay for the inspec
ton by charging them for the stamps