Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-06-28
Want Interpretation Of Law.

Want Interpretation of Law.
The coal operators along the line
Of the Polk interurban and represen-
tatives of the miners union will ap-
peal to Gov. A. B. Cummins, Attorney
General Byers and the Iowa railway
commission, and possibly o'the courts
to prevent proposed revision and adj
vance in passenger rates. President
John p White of District No Is Unit
ed Mine Workers is representing the
coal miners and Commissioner Reese
and Jonn Gibson will probably repre-
sent the operators, the three working
together.
Rigid Test for Iowa Beef.
Des Misunderstanding from the
refusal of packers at the leading cat
tie markets to pay for cattle until
they have passed the post mortem
government inspection, there prom.
ises to be revolution in the local
Strengthening of cattle In Iowa. DR..
Louis A. Thomas, SECRETARY Of that
state board of health, in the July is
sue of the bulletin issued by the de-
| boards of health, will present the new
issue raised and recommend that there
be a general local inspection of meat
inaugurated by the boards of health
in each township throughout the
| state.
Because large percentage Of the
| old cows sent to Chicago and other
leading cattle markets are being con-
] demned under the stringent govern
! men inspection which has lately been
| inaugurated it is now practically i'm
possible for the cattle raiser to sell
| old cattle to the buyers in the small
| Iowa towns. The shipper is obliged
| in each case to stand the loss and in
order to play safe the buyers are
| almost unit in refusing to handle
the old cattle at all.
This according to Secretary Thomas
has but one natural result. The cat
tie being for sale and the buyers re-
fusing to take chances on their ship
ment, the bulk of them, it is believed,
go to local butchers for local consump-
ton. Thus cattle are butchered in
the small slaughter houses which if
sent to Chicago would be condemned
4
Authorities on the, question state
that there is an alarming percentage
of tuberculosis prevalent in the old
cattle. which were formerly used as
Gamers at the packing plants There
being no local inspection these ami
mails which receive ready condemna-
ton under the new inspection can be
butchered at home and readily offer
ed for sale.
The pure food low would be the
only remedy under the present sys-
tenn for dealing with the situation,
but according to Commissioner
Wright, it would be next to impos-
sible to secure conviction as there
Is no way Of telling infected meat
after the animal has been cut up. An
inspection of the carcass Immediately
after slaughter is necessary and he
feels that his department is not able
to cope with the present situation.
.The ignorance of the ordinary
dealer or man that does the butcher
ing is the main cause of the situation"
says Mr.. Wright. very few dealers
would sell diseased meat IL they knew
It but everyone is not able to tell
an infected carcass, and then it is not
customary for the butcher to examine
very closely"
As remedy for the evil which is
believed to exist Secretary Thomas
is to urge that local boards of health
establish municipal slaughter house
in each bailiwick and that they re-
quire all animals butchered in this
one place which should be kept in
Ia
mends that establishment of an ante
mortem and post mortem inspections
to be conducted under the supervision
of the local boards.
II have been for some years in fa-
vor of municipal slaughter house and
the local Inspection of meat butcher
ed for home consumption" said DIR.
Thomas. "The present situation
which arises as the natural result
OF the refusal to accept questionable
cattle at the markets becomes so
acute as to make it appear that there
is necessity for immediate action.
There are laws on the statute
books, which give the local boards Of
health authority to establish local
meat inspection and l believe that
they should avail themselves Of this
power at once"
'"The boards have the power to d.
rect that all slaughtering be done in
one place under the supervision of
the board and they have right to
condemn any carcass when they see
fit That there is an alarming amount
of tuberculosis in cattle throughout
the state Is beyond question and the
fact that these questionable animals
are now to be given over to local con-
sumption makes the need of prompt
action pressing"
mas were enthusiastically approved
by H. R. Wright, state dairy and food
commissioner, who claims that the
pure food law cannot reach the dealers
unless there is an inspection of the
carcass at the time of slaughter.
The question raised by Dr. Thomas
promises to be the chief item of inter-
est to stock raisers throughout Iowa
within the next ten days.
To Build Drake Carnegie Library.
The contract for the new Drake
Carnegie library has been awarded to
H. H. carton for $39,414. The award
was made at the office Of Proudfoot
& Bird, where an executive session
Of the building committee was held.
The work on the new building is to
begin at once, and Mr.. Barton will
rush 1t to completion as rapidly as
possible.
Westerman Found Guilty.
In an attempt to gain freedom from