The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-12
tesssa pm Ihe g%overnn,ent invsstlgatien

n tes1a1 IN the government Investigation
@ In progress into the mode OF. cen
.ducting business by the large packers
located in Chicago and elsewhere.
Much has teen written upon the al
legged illegal and improper modes of
business ~procedure connected With the
packing industry; but it seems that S o
sar no definite charge of any kim bas
been sustained and no proof of illega!
or fneQuitable methods has been dis
closed TO the public. While a wave of
severe criticism of this great Industrial
interest is now passing over the
try 1t might be we'll to remember that
the packers have had as yet 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 of Commerce and
Labor of the United States, was Il vim.
dication of the Western packers. but
this result having been unexpected at
Stempts in many quarters to discredit it
were made.
In Wow of the situation as it NOM,
stands, however. attention may proper
ily be called to Il few facts that owing
70 popular clalnor are now being APP
parentiy overlooked. Fair treatment
In this country has heretofore been ac.
corded to all citizens whose affairs as!
sumo prominence in the public eye and
some OF the facts that bear upon ;l,d
relation of the packers to the com:
merce of the country may at this time
be briefly alluded to. 1t would be
d1f1cu!t 10 estimate the benefits gained,
by the farmers of the country result:
dng from the energetic enterprise Of
the packers. for whatever is of benefit
TO the farmer is Il gain to the entirt
commerce of the country. And con,
inected with their continuous agyres; ,
Sive work no feature perhaps has beer:
more important than their efforts iii
seeking outlets all over the world for
the surplus products of the farmers,
Our total exports of agricultural prodt
'ucts have gained but little in the past
twenty years. and leaving out corn. tho
total OF all other farm products wa3
Tar less in 1903 than in 1891. But iii
packing Gus products there was conf
siderable gain during this period. be.
cause an organized and powerful force
oeeH Denlnd them seeking new
and broader markets.
Besides the benefits reaped by farm.
ers on account of the enterprise and
energy exercised by the packers i'll 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
t1cles OF great value and, as an eco
monte 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 adj
that, so far. there is no ade-
quatc 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
~ exonerates the packers from the OBJ
scure and indefinite charges that have
been for some time past made the sub.
lect OF popular comment.