The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1905-03-17
COMMISSIONER aaWFlglp'a re-
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ire report Of Commissioner OF Gors
paratlnNs Garfield on the ha4f inaass
try, after about eight months inNesti.
gatlan IN Chicago aud slaaM hes.,
shows that there has been an enormous
amount OF exaggeeatlan II, tho state
men,s that have appeared for soma
time past ia regard 10 the beef husl'
ness. This Investigation was set on
foot by resolution of the lionse OK
Representatives adopted March I. lont,
and the ascertained facts after most
rigid examination of the methods ANA
general conduct of the business are
contained In a report covering aos
pages. Its figures aud tables conclu-
sl,ely show that the popular belief In
enormous profits made by tho large
packers, such as Armour Il Co, Swift
4 Co. and Nelson Morris \ Co., ana
In the exclusive control of the bnsi-
ness which many think they enjoy, IN
really without foundation.
The report made to President Roose-
Welt by Commissioner Garfield Is real
~ the first official statement OF the ac-
tual conditions of the beef business
that has been made, and as all the con-
clusions arrived at are based, as shown
by him, upon data officially obtained,
there seems to be no reason why they
should not be regarded as reliable ana
In all respects trustworthy.
This report shows why the price OF
both cattle and beef advanced to the
highest level ever known after the
short corn crop of 1901, and states that
because of the decrease In number or
cattle and also in decreased weight.
1.-THE high prices of beef which caused
so much complaint among consumers
Mt this time were attributable wholly
to these abnormal cattle prices"
All the figures of the live weight
and live cost of all dressed beef cattle
were obtained from actual killing rec
oris and all information of every kind
obtained by the Commissioner was
voluntarily and freely offered by the
packers, all books of record and papers
connected with the business having
placed at his disposal.
To make certain that the results OF
the investigation should be absolutely
accurate the Commissioner states that
double method of ascertaining profits
was adopted, and, without going into
detail here. it is found that the conclu-
sion arrived at shows an average profit
of 30 cents per head. The Commits
sioner says 1.-THE close parallelism In
the results of the two methods of ascer.
tanning the profits confirms completely
the correctness of the general conelu-
sions." 1t is clearly established that
western packers do not control more
than half OF the beef supply of the
United States" the conclusion of the
Commissioner being that the business
done by them amounts to about 10
per cent" of the total slaughter of the
country.
The whole report is extremely inter
esting and well worthy of careful pc
rusal As an official report 1t may be
regarded as worthy of confidence and
ii certainly leads the reader to the
conclusion arrived at by the Commits
sioner when he states that 1.-THE capital
ization of none of these concerns Is
excessive as compared with its actual
| Investment and that from thorough
and rigid examination of original en-.
tries in books and payers to which he
| had access there was also indirect evil
| denee that the profits of the packers
| In their beef business are less than is
| frequently supposed" as shown by
comparison between the total profits
| and the total amount of sales.