42 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



be sold to unsuspecting packers without any notice of their dis- 

 eased condition. It is not possible to foretell just how bad the re- 

 sults will be, but the way is clear for the few who engage in igno- 

 rant and unlawful practices to almost ruin the independent pack- 

 ing industry. Every sort of practice which tends to bring inde- 

 pendent packing plants into disrepute should be stopped. 



A bill authorizing the Board of Agriculture to prevent the 

 removal of diseased animals from the public markets was defeated 

 in the House of the last General Assembly. Bills (1) regulating 

 sanitary conditions about slaughter houses, and (2) authorizing 

 all cities of the State to provide by ordinance for meat inspection 

 and a city abattoir, were defeated in the Senate committee. The 

 protection of the public from unwholesome and diseased meat, 

 and the promotion of the packing industries makes such legisla- 

 tion necessary. 



During the past two years, while trust packers have been re- 

 ceiving attention from the Federal Government, there has been a 

 great opportunity to build up a magnificent, independent packing 

 industry in this State. It is true that independent plants have 

 been a little more prosperous than usual during this period, but 

 all disputes between the packing trust and the government are 

 liable to be settled in the course of time, and when they are, I am 

 satisfied that the trust will be in a position to do the lion's share 

 of the packing business. Instead of being contented to let well 

 enough alone and let independent plants enjoy a temporary pros- 

 perity, the opportunity ought to have been taken advantage of to 

 encourage the development of so many deserving independent pack- 

 ing houses, as to have provided abundant markets for live stock. 

 The one great essential to the successful operation of a packing 

 plant is that it turn out wholesome meat. 



I still believe that the State ought to have a law authorizing 

 all county and city boards of health to enforce cleanliness in all 

 slaughter houses and the disinfection of such houses after each 

 slaughter, and require the removal of offal some distance away 

 from them. The law ought to authorize all cities to provide at 

 will, for meat inspection and for slaughtering all food animals at 

 a city abattoir or other approved plant. In large cities there 

 onght to be a sufficient number of city abattoirs to accommodate 

 all the butchers who have no approved plant of their own, or are 

 not doing enough slaughtering to justify the authorities in keep- 

 ing a city inspector at their plant. 



