Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-07-24
ACTION AT OMAHA PLEASES
Agricultural Department Officials
Talk on Meat Inspection.
CANNOT PROTECT LOCAL TRADE
Authority of Department Extends
Only to Products Intended for
Interstate and Foreign
Trade.
(From a staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, July 23.-(special Tele-
gram efforts which are being made in
and about Omaha by local authorities to
aid the government in the inspection Of
meat products regardless of the desuna-
tion of such products meets with the hearty
approval of the officials fthe agricul-
tural department. Under existing law the
government has no control over beef or
other animal food products slaughtered
within a state and It is only when animals
destined for food are killed to be sent
to an adjoining state or for export to
foreign country that the government in
spector takes cognzance of the condition
of the animal at the time 1t is to be
slaughtered.
! There is no protection whatever ap-
parently for the local consumer An owner
of beeves sheep or goats which may be
diseased and so adjudged by govern
ment inspector at any of the large slaugh-
ter houses Of the country may without let
or hindrance take the diseased animals
to a small independent butcher, sell them
! and the meat product resulting, diseased
/ though II may be. finds ready sale In
the local markets. There is nothing TO
prevent. for instance, a man who may
attempt to sell a bunch Of diseased amt
mails at one OF the larger packing houses
after having his animals pronounced un-
sound and unfit for interstate consumption,
from turning right about and selling the
same to any local butcher who will buy
| them.
The government in its efforts to insure
wholesome meat products from producing
points to other states or for export pur-
poses cannot prevent the sale of impure
meats within the states where diseased
animals may have been slaughtered.
A. D. Melvin, chief of the bureau of
animal industry, said today that he was
greatly pleased to learn that Omaha and
vicinity had taken up the matter OF an
inspection of meats designed for local
consumption.
Localities Must Protect ThemselveS.
"It is up to Omaha and the state OF
Nebraska generally to see to it that meat
products for their own consumption are
inspected by state or local officials. We
have control only of such meat products
as may be intended for Interstate or for
eign shipment. Several states have passed
meat inspection laws to cover products
intended only for local consumption,
notable among these states being Illinois
and PENNSYLVANIA. am glad that Nebraska
Is dropping into line in this respect, for
only through state cooperation with the
federal government can the evils OF I'M
pure meat products be controlled. Should
each state take up this question, CO.
operating with the federal authorities. 1t
would result in practically solving the en-
tire problem. The government is zealously
watching that impure meat products
go from one state to another. or be ex-
ported, but to cover the whole thing each
: state should enact laws to protect its
own Individual citizens from unscrupulous
meat dealers"
Max Baehr on Vacation.
Max j. Baehr of St. Paul Neb United
States consul at Cenfuegos, CUBA arrived
in Washington today en- route to his home
in Nebraska his annual vacation. Mr..
Baehr is regarded by the state department
and consular bureau as one Of the very
best consuls in the service. While con-
sular officials recognize the justness of
Mr. Baehr's claims to transfer TO some
European consulate, they hesitate to make
a the transfer in view of conditions exist
ing in Cuba. which conditions Mr.. Baehr
> we'll understands, and through his diplo-
matte course has made friends of the
. leading factions of the Cuban people. Mr..
Baehr expects to leave for the west to
- night having finished his business with
the consular bureau in the state depart
I ment and paid his respects to the acting
secretary OF state. Mr.. Bacon.
4 Minor Matters at Capital.
william Hayward of Nebraska City
spent several hours in Washington today
on his way home from the jamestown
: exposition. Mr.. Hayward came over from
= New York, where he had taken his
8 mother, wife and child to visit relatives
l. in the Empire State
f DR.. Stevenson and wife of Lincoln and
= Fred Lionberger of Superior passed
S through Washington today route to the
= jamestown exposition.
j. The secretary of the interior has exc
I cuted a contract with George A. Lane o.
Sanoma, S. D., for the construction Of ter
miles of lateral bitches in connection with
the Belle Fourche irrigation project. Tht
work involves the excavation OF 1910
cubic yards and the amount of the con
tract is $1,000.
A contract has also been awarded HRr
ley Sheveling Of Belle Fourche, S. D., To-
q the construction of three miles OF latera
n ditches and stFuctures RelIe- Fourcha irrt