476 
TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING 
national inspection of both cattle and hogs and their products intended for trans¬ 
portation from one State or Territory to another and for foreign exportation has 
not been passed by Congress. This bill, with the exception of a very few points, 
was well adapted to serve the purpose and would have been a judicious move. 
The failure of this bill to pass leaves us still without a national inspection law. 
Still, necessity will demand this or a simular measure in the near future. 
There is an increasing disposition on the part of our legislators to promote 
exportation of meat. That this can be accomplished only when we have a 
proper inspection throughout our country, and one which foreign nations can ac¬ 
cept as adequate, is evident to any one familiar with the strict meat inspection 
laws of European countries. 
Possibly if meat inspection is brought into international negotiations it may 
undergo some slight alterations, but its principles will stand, and we shall have 
to adopt them. 
The Edmund bill which just passed Congress provides for the inspection of 
salt pork for exportation. I will read you Section I. of this bill: 
“An act providing for the inspection of meats for exportation, prohibiting 
the importation of adulterated articles of food or drink, and authorizing the 
President to make proclamation in certain cases, and for other purposes.” 
“ Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the U. S. 
of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of Agriculture may cause 
to be made a careful inspection of salted pork and bacon intended for exporta¬ 
tion, with a view to determining whether the same is wholesome, sound, and fit 
for human food, whenever the laws, regulations, or orders of the Government of 
any foreign country to which such pork or bacon is to be exported shall require 
inspection thereof relating to the importation thereof into such country, and also 
whenever any buyer, seller, or exporter of such meats intended for exportation 
shall request the inspection thereof.” 
This is the text referring to meat inspection, and then follow nine long sec¬ 
tions prohibiting the importation of adulterated food and drink. While this 
may be evidently very necessary, it has no direct logical connection whatever 
with a meat inspection law, and will look very suspicious in the eyes of the un¬ 
prejudiced foreigner. But to come back to the section read, is it not a mockery 
on what has just been stated at length ? This alleged inspection of salt pork can 
only have reference to microscopical inspection, and you know with me that it 
is a most hopeless task to attempt such inspection. From the process of curing 
with salt the meat becomes so hard and rough that it is difficult, almost impos¬ 
sible, to prepare it for microscopical examination. Such methods are of very 
little value ; indeed for a careful microscopical examination are useless. 
How then can we expect under such law, that the foreign restrictions will 
be withdrawn ? And if exportation should be attempted under such circum¬ 
stances, what will be the result ? Undoubtedly a second inspection on the part 
of foreign countries, which will add this expense to the price of the pork. The 
poor classes in several European countries are anxious to buy American pork, 
but will not be able to do so if the pork is not cheaper than that of the home 
country. This must reduce our export trade to almost nothing. 
The European countries which import American pork are Germany, France, 
