The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1905-05-12

Very general interest has been mani
Tested In the Government investigation
now in progress into the mode Of con-
Quoting business by the large packers
located in Chicago and elsewhere.
Much has been written upon the aA-
legged illegal and improper modes Of
business procedure connected with the
packing industry but it seems that 50
far no definite charge of any kind has
been sustained and no proof of illegal
or inequitable methods has been dis
closed to the public. While a wave of
severe criticism Of this great industrial
interest is now passing over the coun- =
try 1t might be well to remember that
the packers have had as yet no opPor-
tuntty to make specific denial the
many indefinite charges of wFong-do-
ing having never been Formulating 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 or Commerce and
Labor Of the United States, was vim
dcation Of the Western packers, but
this result having been unexpected at
tempts in many quarters to discredit 1t
were made
In view Of the situation as it now
stands, however, attention may proper
ly be called to a few facts that owing
to popular clamor are now being APP
parently overlooked. Fair treatment
in this country has heretofore been ac-
corded to all citizens whose affairs as
sumo 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. 1t would be
difficult to estimate the benefits gained
by the farmers Of the country result
ing from the energetic enterprise OF
the packers, for whatever is Of beneht
to the farmer is gain to the entire
commerce of the country. And con-
nected with their continuous agrees
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
lttI 1855 III IUDO lhdll III AooAs LUZ 49,
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
ers on account Of the enterprise ana
energy exercised by the packers In at
tanning commercial results by foreign
trade, the great development in tine
manufacture of pacldns house by-prod-
ucfs 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
J ticles of great value and, as an eco
| nomic fact, this must correspondingly
| increase the value to the farmer or
every head Of cattle marketed at the
numerous stock yards of the country
Let these facts be remembered while
now it is so popular to regard the
great packing industry as deserving of
condemnation. At least it must be adj
! 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 exonerates the packers from the OBJ
scure and indefinite charges that have
been for some time past made the sub
iect of popular comment,
/