The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-05-11
lnvestiestion Of the paeke-

Very general interest has been man
Tested In the government invesuga-
ton nov In progress lnto the mode of
conducting business by the large pack
ers located IN Chicago aud elsewhere.
Much has been written upon TIE al
legged Illegal and improper modes %
business procedure connected with tho
packing Industry. bat Il seems that 80
Tar no definite charge Of any kind has
been sustained and DO proof Of illegal
or incquitahlo methods has been dts.
closed to the public, Mile a wave OF
severe criticism 81 this great lndus-
trial interest IS now passing over tho
country u might be well 20 remember
that the packers have had as yet no
opportunity TO make specific dguial.
The many indchnite charges OF wrong.
doing having never been formulated
80 hat a categorical answer could be
made
The recent report a Commissioner
Garfield. which embodied the results
OF an Official investigation undertaken
by b Department OF Commerce and
labor 81 the United States. waa a vim
dic4tion % the Western packers. but
this result having been unexpected at
tempts 10 many quarters TO dlscrcdit II
we're made.
Ia view % the situation as u now
stands. however. attention may proper
" be called 20 a feE facts that owing
TO popular clamor are nov being Ap-
parently overlooked. Pair 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 hat bear upon tho
relation Of the packers 10 the com
mercc ~ The country may at this time
be brieay alluded "a. h would DO
dialcult to estimate the benefits gained
by the farmers o. she country result
ing nom the energetic enterprise OF
the packers. for whatever Ia Of benefit
10 the farmor Il a gain 10 the entire
commerce Of the country And con.
nccted with their continuous RFrrea-
tive work no feature perhaps has been
more important than their efforts in
seeking outlets All over the world for
the surplus products 81 the farmer.
Our total exports ~ agricultural pred
ucts have gained hut little In the past
twenty years. and leaving out corn.
the total 81 oil other farm products
was FAR less IN 1903 than In 1891. But
In packing house products there was
gain during this period.
berhuHc an organized and powerful
has been behind them seeking
ucw and broader markets
besides the dement's roAped BY farm
crs on account nf The enterprise ana
energy exercised by the packers IN a..
commercial results BY foreign
Trade the great development In tho
~ packing house by.prod.
nets has added enormously 90 the
value az ail live stock raised IN the
United States. The waste material 81
.wenV years age. then an oxpcnue 20
he packer Is nov converted into ar
81 great value. and. as an eco.
nomic Tact this muHt cofrespuudtnEly
Increase the value 10 tho farmer 81
head OF cattle marketed at tho
numerous s~tockyarda Of the country
let these facts be remembered while
how II 10 90 popular 10 regard the
great packing industry as deserving OF
condemnation. Al least Il must be ad-
nittcd that. 30 Ear. there So no ade-
luate reason for the almost unani.
howl that may be heard every.
shere In the face Of the Garfield re-
lort above alluded 90 which practical
y exonerates the packers from the OBJ
and Indefinite charges that have
zen for some time past made the sub
eet OF popular comment 80 Amofan
f0mgEfguf