The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-31
MEAT PACKERS
ARE UP IN ARMS
Senator Beveridge, Backed by
the President, Will Make
Fight.
WANTS DATE ON PACKAGES
cIt 1,i WI IT.: D:tl
WANTS DATE ON PACKAGES
Sharply Demands Why His Bill
Has Not Been Reported by
Committee on Agriculture.
trrom our regular corre,n,ndeut.

Gron our Regular Correspondent,
WASHINGTON, D. c.. january 90
It seems assured that there wil be an
other fight between the government and
the meat-packers and hat 1t viii be
pulled off before Congress adJouins. In
deed, there may be some delay, and 1t
Is even ntimated to-day by people ia
nliliar with the Presidents views that
Mr.. Roosevelt may go so far az to call
an extraordinary session OF Congress
unless he secures the legislation on the
subject OF cost of meat inspection that
he desires.
Senator Beveridge. who, next to Sem
ator Lodge. is looked upon by many as
being the mouthpiece OF the President
on the floor Of the Senate. created
something of a sensation this morning
by rising In his place soon after the
Senate convened and inquiring why the
bill he had introduced at the first OF the
session. amending the at-inspection
law so as to place upon the packers the
cost OF inspection, and requiring that
the date at which meat was packed be
placed on the can or package, had not
been reported from the Committee on
Agriculture, to which 1t had been re-
ferred.
The young Indianian spoke very sharp-
~, and while the temper of Senator Bev-
eridge does not as a rule interest the
Senate one way or another. his manner
was interesting and significant to-day. as
indicating his attitude towards the i'm
portant subject of meat inspection.
Senator Proctor. chairman of the Com
mittee on Agriculture, said the commit
tee had not considered the bill, as it
was not known that the Senator from
Indiana was in hurry to have it taken
up. He promised, however, that the COM
mittee would consider the bill and report
|: during the present session.
The meat packers will make vigorous
fight against the enactment of any law
which will compel them to pay the cost
OF inspection. This was one of the fea-
lures OF the meat inspection law last
session which caused such fierce fight
The President recommended that the cost
of inspection be paid by the packers, rec
ognizing the manifest unfairness of max
ing the government pay the cost of keep
ing the packing establishments clean, but,
under the leadership OF Representative
Wadsworth, chairman of the Committee
or Agriculture. whose friendship for the
packers caused such a severe break with
the President that there Is scarcely q
man anywhere who is such pronounced
anti-Roosevelt man as Mr.. Wadswortii,
the inspection was to be at the cost of
hhN Nce'iNAS' ttii' ~ hPIiopi idtloii vi
100000 for that purpose was made. The
President acquiesced, but il may have
been with a mental resolve to attempt 10
have the bill amended this session.
The packers also fought the proposition
to require to be placed on the can the
date on which it was filed. They won
this fight also. 1t looks as though the
President made mental resolve to have
this changed at the present session.
Packers Will Fight.
There can be no doubt of tho fact
that there will be a fight on the Bev-
eridga bill this session. Senator Bev-
erldge was the author OF the original
meat inspection bill. which passed the
Senate almost without the knowledge of
a majority OF Senators last year. and
which caused such commotion and such
strenuous fight in committee and on
the floor OF the House when that body
took it UP. There can be no doubt OF
his intention to force tho fighting this
session, and little doubt that the Presi-
dent will exert his influence to help the
passage OF the bill.
The packers will oppose almost as
strongly as any feature of the proposed
amendment the one which requires the
date of packing to be printed on the can
or package. They protested against this
feature last session, on the ground that
the age Of canned meats has no effect
whatever upon the quality, us meat
packed for years Is cs good as that pack
ed but few weeks.
The pure food law requires packers of
fruits and vegetables to stamp on the can
the date on which it was filled, and 1t
would seem to be as fair to compel the
meat packers to do the same thing, or
to repeal the law requiring fruits and
vegetables to be so marked. The tomato
packers of Botetourt and other counties
OF the Tenth District, where the industry
is OF prime Importance, have been pro-
testing against this feature of the law,
but have not yet been informed that re-
lief will be extended them by the Depart
ment OF Agriculture.
Federal inspection has gone far. That
which would have shocked the public
conscience five years ago excites no COM
ment or interest to-day. Only to-day
President Hoffman. Of the Virginia
Canning Company, ut Buchanan. Bote-
tourt county. the only firm In tho State
which manufactures tin cans for the use
of fruit and vegetable packers, a very
flourishing concern. called on the Secre-
tary OF Agriculture for the purpose OF
ascertainng what style of can the de-
partnlent would allow him to make for
the use of the packers. Had such thing
been spoken of as possible decade ago.
the suggestion would have been met with
indignant protest to say the least.
1t Is not thought that the packers will
make strong fight against the Beveridge
bill in the Senate but will meet 1t when
it comes to the House, prepared to defer
action until the Flfty-ninth CONFESS dies
OH tho fourth day OF March.
C,,~ra,,,a Co,,r% &c ,,,,a,1c