Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1905-05-12
Investigation Of the Packers.

Very gc1eral interest has been
manifested in the government investi.
cation nov in progress into the mode
CT 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 inequitable methods has
been disclosed to the public. While a
wave OF severe criticism Of this great
industrial interest Is now passing over
the country, 1t might be we'll to re-
member that the packers have had as
yet no opportunity to make specific de.
NAL, the many indefinite charges OF
wrong-doing having never been formu.
lated SO that q 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 ii
were made.
In view of the situation as 1t now
stands, however, attention may proper
ly be called to a few facts hat owing
to popular clamor are now being ap-
parently overlooked. Fair treatment
in this country has heretofore been aG
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 benefit
to the farmer is a gain to the entire
commerce Of the country. And con
nected with their continuous aggres.
give work no feature perhaps has been
more important than their efforts in
seeking outlets all over the world fol
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 liz
packing house products there was on.
siderable gain during this period, lie.
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 and
energy exercised by the packers in at
tanning 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.
ticles of great value, and, as an eco
nomic 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 it is so popular to regard the
great packing industry as deserving OF
condemnation. At least it must be ad.
mitted that. so far, there is no ade.
quate reason for the almost unani.
mou howl that may be heard every.
where in the face Of the Garfield ie.
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.