The Forrest City times., 1905-05-19
Investigation of the Packers.

Very general interest has been manifested in the government investi- gation now in progress into the mode of conducting business by the large packers located in Chicago and else where. Much has been written upon the alleged illegal and improper modes of business procedure connected with the packing industry; but it seems that so far no definite charge of any kind has been sustained and no proof of illegal or negotiable methods has been disclosed to the public. While a wave of severe criticism of this great industrial interest Is now passing over the country, it might be well to re- member that the packers have had as yet no opportunity to make specific de- nial, the many indefinite charges of wrong doing having never been formu- lated so that a categorical answer could be made.
 The recent report of Commissioner Garfield, which embodied the results of an official investigation undertaken by the department of commerce and labor of the United States, was a vim dication of the western packers, but this result having been unexpected, at tempts in many quarters to discredit it were made.
 In view of the situation as 1t now stands, however, attention may proper ly be called to few facts that owing to popular clamor are now being ap- parently overlooked. Fair treatment in this country has heretofore been ac- corded to all citizens whose affairs as- sume prominence in the public eye and some of the facts that bear upon the relation of the packers to the com- merce of the country may at this time be briefly alluded to. It would be difficult to estimate the benefit gained by the farmers of the couatry re ult- ing from the energetic enterprise of the packers. for whatever is of benefit to the farmer Is saiA to tn entire commerce of the country And con- nected with their eontin lous aggres- sive work no feature perhaps has been more important than their efforts in seeking outlets all over the world for the surplus products of the farmer. Our total exports of agricultural prod ucts have gained but little in the past twenty years and leaving out corn, the total of all other farm products was far less in 1903 than in 1891. But in packing house products there was con- siderable gain during this period, be- cause an organized and powerful force has been behind them seeking new and broader markets.
 Besides the benefits reaped by farm CTS on account of the enterprise and energy exercised by the packers in at- taining commercial results by foreign trade the great development in the manufacture of packing house by-prod- ucts has added enormously to the value of all live stock raised in the United States. The waste material of twenty years ago. then an expense to the packer, is now converted into ar tlcles of great value, and, es an eeo- homie fact, this must correspondingly increase the value to the farmer of every head of cattle marketed at the numerous stock yards of the country. Let these facts be remembered while now 1t is so popular to regard the great packing industry as deserving of condemnation. At least 1t must be ad- mitted that, so far, there is no ade- Quate reason for the almost unani- nous howl that may be heard every where in the face of the Garfield re- port above alluded to, which practical ly generates the packers from the ob- scure and indefinite charges that have been for some time past made the sub !eet of popular comment.