Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-09
APPROPRIATION SUGGESTED
If insufficient the Deficit Could Be
Raised on Fees.
COMMITTEE HEARING RESUMED
Representative Garner Urges Speedy
Actions. II. Cowan Speaks
for Cattle Raisers.

The beef inspection hearing before the
House committee on agriculture was begun
today by hearing Representative Garner
(Tex.), who made a plea for speedy action
''Since this matter came up" he said
"the people who have contracted to take
our Texas steers have become alarmed,
and say they don't know whether or not
they are going to take our cattle and
the result is we are in state of uncer-
tainty. / want to suggest that the COM
mittee get through with the matter as
soon as possible Every day this thing
Is continued the stockman is losing money
as not the packer entirely responsible for
this condition." asked Representative Hau-
ger Qowa), and, continuing, he said: -
believe he is. Last week In my office
saw a number of telegrams from stock
yards banks to banks in my section of the
country asking them to telegraph imme-
diately all of their members of Congress.
believe they are responsible for the agi-
tation."
Representative Davis CMinn) read tele-
gram from the South st. Paul live stock
exchange and live stock board stating un-
alterable opposition to having expense
placed on the packers because II would
inevitably come out of the former
MI Wilson. representing the packers, cor
roborated this conclusion.
In Behalf of Cattle Raisers.
s. H Cowan of Fort Worth, Tex. attor-
ney for the Texas Cattle Raisers' Associa-
ton, next heard. He detailed the ex-
tent of the Texas cattle industry Mr.. Cow
an said while the raisers had their differ
ences with the packers and had not got
the best of them yet in this question the
interests of the raisers and packers were
identical If there was an additional ex-
pense some one would have to pay it. and
the man who can name the price of the
thing he sells can put the additional ex-
pense where he pleases The stockmen be-
Heve the packers could put this expense
on the stock raiser. He read telegram
from John T. Lytle. president OF the Cattle
Raisers' Association of Texas, which
read: Present agitation has seriously de-
pressed cattle business. Universal impress
sion that cattle values will suffer from
81 to s. per head decline"
Another from NJ. o. Mckenzie. manager
os the second largest cattle ranch in
America In Colorado. estimated by wire
that by fall the price would be 81 per 100
pounds less.
Asked by Representative Adams Cwis.)
If the packers did not fix the price paid for
cattle, Mr.. Cowan said this was i'm
possibility under ordinary conditions
Neither could the cattle ralsers by combi-
nation fix the price. The reason was that
when cattle got into condition they must
be sold.
Cost of Inspection.
Representative Haugen Qowa) asked Mr.
Cowan II he had read the Presidents mes
sage which estimated the cost of inspec-
ton at S cents a head.
He had. he said, but we do not want to
pay it-thats our reason replied Mr.
Cowan But rather than do without the
law We would be glad to levy the cost on
the cstile," he continued.
Mr.. Haugen said every member of the
committee so far as he knew was in favor
of the government paying the cost This
cost has been estimated from IS 100000 to
S2O.ccO,OOO annually, and Congress, he said
at most would probably not appropriate
more than S20O0,000. In view OF this he
believed II might be better to assess the
cost on the packers.
Mr.. Cowan took issue with the position
or Representative Crumpacker that the
FEDERAL government had no right to inter
fere with the police powers of the states
by making sanitary regulations Mr.. Cowan
would have the law provide that no meat
shall be allowed to enter interstate COM
merce unless IT bears the label OF Inspec-
tiOn. and this label shall not be given m
less the product is put up In accordance
with sanitary regulations prescribed by the
Secretary of Agriculture
Several members of the committee at
once assented that such a provision would
be good law.
Division of Cost
Mr.. Cowan made the suggestion as to
fees that an appropriation be made, say. OF
S2.VooOO with the further provision that
n the amount should prove insufficient the
Secretary Of Agriculture should prescribe
fee for inspection to make up the diff
ference. This would each year bring &
pressure on Congress for the appropria-
tion.
Mrs. Isabel worren Ball, formerly of
Kansas. gave the committee her experience
with canned goods to develop the fact that
canned goods did not deteriorate with age
Prompt Action Wanted.
+. p. Johnson, secretary of the Colorado
Horse and Stock Ralsers' Association,
urged the committee to expedite legisla-
tion for inspection. He wanted something
to stop this interminable racket" The
beef men. he said, were bearing all the
cost. The public did not seem able to ap-
ply any OF the Jungle" stories to mutton.
only the other day In dinner restau-
rant, ne continued. IA waiter suggested
to customer a beefsteak. No said the
customer. L have been reading about this
beef iDquiry-bring me mutton chops.'"
He said the raisers wanted the govern
ment to pay the cost. but IL there was to
be trouble about II, we will pay any
cost" He said for several years the in
dustry had been working hard to build UP
the export demand.
This matter has set us right back where
we were at the beginning"
The price OF beef to the producer, he
said. had dropped from 20 cents TO 81 a
hundred pounds during the past few weeks.
Any bill, he said that did not suit the
President would not relieve the public
mind
Increased Vigilance in Inspection.
Dr. A. ID. Melvin. chief OF the bureau of
~
rieulture, was next heard. He first read a
statement showing the increased vigilance
of the inspection at Chicago. Moral sua-
sion and the withdrawal of the government
inspection was the only way the depart
ment has TO enforce It's regulations The
fact that the product of an abattoi- not
under inspection went into Interstate COM
merce made the Assortment hath 10 ,rif h