Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1905-05-10
1n,e.t,o tlon of the paekor..

Very general interest hos been mani-
tested in the Government inves.. alton
now in progress into the mode Of con-
ductlng business by the large packers
located In Chicago and elsewhere.
Much has been written upon the al.
Legged illegal and improper modes Of
business procedure connected with the
packing industry; but 1t seems that 80
fur no definite charge Of any kind has
been sustained and no proof of illegal
or inequltable methods las been dis
closed to the public. While wave Of
severe criticism of this great Industrial
interest Is now passing over the coun-
try it might be well to remember that
the packers have had as set no oppor-
tunIty to make specific denial, the
many indefinite charges of wrong-do.
ing having never been formulated 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 CT Commerce and
Labor Of the United States, was vim
dlcation of the Western packers, but
this result having been unexpected at
tempts in many quarters to dIscredlt 1t
were made.
In view Of the situation rs 1t now
stands, however, attention may proper
" be called to 4 few facts that owing
to popular clnmor are now being ap-
parentiy overlooked. Fair treatment
in this country has heretofore been &C.
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 mey 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 gain to The entire
commerce Of the country. And coll
Eected with their continuous aggres-
slve work 10 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 1901. But III
packing house products there was COIL
siderable gain during this period, be-
cause al organized and powerful force
has been behind them seeking new and
broader markets.
Besides the benefits reaped by farm
ers OH 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, as all 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 he remembered while
now 1t is so popular to regard the
great packing industry rs deserving of
condemnation. At least it must he id
mitted that, so far, there Is no ade-
duate 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 SUBJ
iect Of popular comment.