USDA Government Inspected

Mattie Cannon

Thompson

After The Fact

4 September 2009

USDA Government Inspected

Thesis:
“The controversy over meat inspection reminds the historian that when a legislative issue involved the disposition of economic and political power, all three branches of government influence the outcome.”
Roosevelt wanted the best for his people, and didn’t stop till the end of the fight. Even though meat inspection regulations weren’t as big as a deal in the beginning, people soon started to pick up on these horrible conditions. Muckraking played a big role with informing the economy: “Muckrakers told Americans what was wrong with society, but not how to fix the problems arose nor what could be done about them” (Davidson 243). These photos also greatly influenced the American people’s opinions on society and government as a whole. Sometimes the people weren’t influenced for the better. This is where the government steps in, to help solve controversies. Even though the three branches of government have separate jobs, they all work together in the end. Each branch may not need to do as much, depending upon what the issue is. It’s a very long process, and for this Act especially, there was a lot of controversy and fighters from both ends. For example, Wadsworth and Lorimer tried to convince Congress their bill was the best decision, even though the standards weren’t healthy for the American people. Roosevelt continued to fight back: he used his power that he had over the Republican Party, used the power of his position in office, and used publicity to his advantage. This show that economic and political powers have a huge influence on the outcome, as well as the branches of government working together.

“As is so often the case, the political system achieved results only after the visible symbols and myths of public discourse had been negotiated, debated, and compromised in the procedural tangle at the heart of the legislative process” (Davidson 259).
Political cartoons informed the people, but objects were used more so to represent a bigger picture or idea. The problem: one person can interpret it one way, while another person may interpret it another way. This is what makes it harder for the historian when trying to figure out the exact message. This shows that it takes a lot of time to depict through the details no matter what issue is at hand. When Sinclair wrote The Jungle, there were people that were skeptical of it. Some believed that he made up the conditions in the meat packing industries, while others believed that there were worse conditions. Depicting these details took a very long time, people in the House and Senate who had different views. After the main ideas were depicted, they were then discussed. Even though this may take a very long time (as did the signing of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906) a compromise has to be made: “Yet Roosevelt prevailed in the end only because he recognized as an essential feature of the political process. He had yielded on points he considered less consequential in order to achieve his larger objective” (Davidson 259). This quote shows how Roosevelt had to give up some of the smaller ideas, to get his main point across and approved. He realized a compromise is the main objective in politics.