The Grit-advocate., 1905-03-17
COMMISSIONER GARFlELD'S RE
PORT ON BEEF INDUSTRY.

The report of Commissioner Gar.
field on the beef industry has at last
been published. 1t must be some
what OF "A surprise to those who have
been indulging in Wholesale adverse
criticism upon the methods of the
Chicago packers, as ii disclOses facts
and figures which clearly show that
the great food producers have been
innocent Of the serious OffenscS with
which they have been charged. They
have been for long time accused by
newspapers all over the country of
eNtoriIonatc prices demanded. and OBJ
tanned of depression of values OF cat
tie at the various StOckyardS where
their business is conducted. of cuOr-
nous profits wholly disproportionate
TO the capital employed. and in gen
eral, of SO carrying on their business
that the public under an organized
system of spoliatlOn. were being
robbed for their exclusive benefit.
We md now. however. that not
single one of these charges has been
sustained but. on the contrary. that
rigid and searching Investigation, of
iclally made, has resulted in COM
plete aCQuittal.
instead of eAtortiOn it is shown that
no industry can be found where so
narrow a margin OF profit prevails
the actual records and original en-
tries. to which the commissioner had
free access. showing that the high
est net profit any of the packers
made on their sales of beef was Two
and three-tenGhs per cent in 1902 and
in one instance that the profit realized
in 1904 was one and eisht-tenths per
cent.
The variations in the market prices
for cattle are eXhauSIiveIy treated
aud no evidence of any kind was dis
covered. or even limited At, tending to
show that values OF cattle are in the
slightest degree improperly affected
or controlled by packers at any of
the chief CCnterS of the industry.
On the whole. the report completely
disSlpaios the prevalent idea that
great fortunes are being amassed by
illegal and improper methods en-
pluyCd by western packers. showing
that notwithstanding the high prices
for beef prevailing in 1902 the bust
ness was less remuneratiye than in
years characterized by normal values
both for cattle and product. He says
that the year 1902, instead of being
one Of cXorhitant profits, as has been
commonly supposed. WAS less profit
able than usual. In fact. during the
months when the prices of beef were
the highest. some. at least. of the
leading packers were losing money
on every head of cattle slaughtered.
1t was not possible to advance The
prices of beef in full proportion to the
great advance in the prices of cattle
at that time.
After all that has been written re
fccting upon the great business in
teTest engaged in the marketing and
distribution of the product of one Of
the greatest of our national indus
tries. it is gratifying to all fair minded
people that the prcjUdiCed attacks
,pon it have failed OF yeriiiCatiOu,
and the great western packers may be
congratulated for having passed
through such a searching and thor
oush official investigation unsmirChed.
The results of this investigation,
based rs it is upon exhaustive data.
officially obtained and verified by
United States government experts.
must be accepted without hesitation,
as The Investigation was made under
circumstances that guaranteed com
nIete accuracy with a possible dlsDo'
sition indeed. to arrive at entirely
different results.