The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-04-29
WOULD PROBE
FEDERAL MEAT
INSPECTION BILL

washington, ID. O. April 2ss-Rep-
r~esentative Nelson of wisconsin will
press his resolution for an investiga
ton of the bureau OF animal industryst
department OF agriculture. for the pur
pose of determining whether the fed-|
eral meat inspection law lis being
properly enforced. The resolution
was introduced upon the inforrna-i
ton received from the Rev. Caro+E
line Bartlett Crane of K-alamazooI
Mich, who has been conducting someI
Investigations Of her own regardingj
the inspection law enforcement, and
who charges that the law has beenf
nullified by the construction placed up-I
on it by DR.. "A. d. Melvin, chief OF the
bureau, Solicitor Geo. p, McCabe, with
tary Wilson.
Mr.. Nelson does not pretend to know
anything about the merits OF the
charges, but feels hat they are suf-
iciently grave to warrant the fullest
investigation. One charge is that tu-
berculosis beeves are passed after
the affected parts have been removed
and no reference made to the fact that
portions of the cas- had been dis
eased. The badger congressman feels
that if this statement is true, steps
should be taken to require the label to
show that this particular meat came
from beeves that nae been affected in
certain parts with disease.
While scientists may be largely
agreed that it is perfectly safe to re-
move the diseased parts Of tuberculo-
sis steers, where the disease has not
progressed beyond a certain point, and
sell the meat without placing the COM
sumers on notice, Mr.. Nelson cannot
agree with this view. He thinks meat
from beeves ever so slightly affected
with tuberculosis should be sold only
in canned form, the label plainly shows
ing the presence of diseases in dis
carded parts.
OF course, the committee on expenAi
ditures in he department of agrtcul-i
ture, of which Representative Moss of
Indiana is chairman, has jurisdiction
over this matter, since the expendi-
ture of $4,000 600 annually is made for
the inspection service. If it is ineffic-I
iently or carelessly conducted, the peo-I
pie of the entire country are entitled
to know it, If this negligence shouldi
be found to amount to a n~ulificationI
of the law, which is seriously doubtedi
even by opponents of Secretary Wills
son, drastic measures should be taken.I
The Moss committee has conductedi
two important Investigations of the de-
partment-the Wiley inquiry. and the4
Florida everglades controversy. Thel
report of the committee on the latter
investigation has o yet been submitAt
ted to the house. Chairman Moss isl
not at all ayerse to taking on anotherI
investigation that promises to attract
general attention.
Friends of DR.. Melvin declare that
they have absolute confidence in his
integrity and that OF the responsible
men in the inspection service, which
has grown to be a large institution BY.
itself, They say they are perfectlg
satisfied in advance that the bureau of
animal industry is following along
Hines Of accepted scientific knowledge
in the matter Of permitting the pass
ing of portions of irons
which tuberculosis parts nave been res
moved.
Meanwhile, DR.. Melvin has said that
he courts a thorough inquiry into the
conduct of the inspection service and
of his bureau in general.