The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-04-01

Big Packers Exonerated by Garfield.
The report Of Commissioner Garfield
on the methods under which the business
of the so-called beef trust is conducted
has been published and a closely printed
book of over 300 pages is the result of the
examination to which that industry has
been subjected. The report is very full
and complete, every phase of the business
having been investigated with the Utmost
care and thoroughness, as is shown by
exhaustive tables of figures, with anthem
ticated facts and statistical data covering
almost every detail of the business.
After a careful reading of this report
it is impossible to arrive at any other con-
elusfon than that for some time past
there has been a great deal said and writ
ten about this great industry that has
had no foundation in fact II would APP
pear that popular eiamor has resulted
from newspaper comment and the pas
sage of many resolutions by those who,
as plainly shown by the report, were with
out any definite information. This re-
port, the result OF an inquiry in compli-
ance with congressional demand upon
SO complete and detailed that, as whole,
it will not OF course be read by the pub
lie at large, but the facts and figures.
authenticated by government expert cx-
amlners, which it contains, show with
lndlsputable certainty that the hue and
the packers has been at least unreason-
able and much of it, indeed, has been
hysterical.
These officially ascertained facts are a
surprise to very many who have been inn
pressed by the denunciatory language
they have read and heard for some time
past, for they now find that, instead of
the great plofits said to be made by
western packers, the business is being
conducted upon smaller msggin OF
proht than that prevailing in any other
industry. Commissioner Garfield himself
says: The year 1902, instead of being
| one of exorbitant profits, as has been
than usual, and this will be remembered
as the year when the highest prices ruled
and the packers were being everywhere
| accused of extortlonate methods. Regard
ing this very year when the complaints
OF injustice were the loudest and the
most unanimous, the commissioners says.
In fact during the months when the
| prices OF beef were the highest, some, at
least, OF the leading packers were actual
iy losing money on every head Of cattle
slaughtered" for the reason, he con-
tlnues, 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"
The report also shows that the public
belief that enormous profits are usually
| characteristic of the beef business is en-
tirely erroneous, as it proves, after full
investigation, that the maximum net re-
/ turn on the several investments was two
| and threetenths per cent and the mini
mum one and elghttenths per cent.
The report Is much too detailed and
extensive to attempt any thorough review
| but it clearly demonstrates that there
mas been great deal of unnecesssrv
| alarm on the part Of the public as to the
| meat situation and good deal Of lossa
denunclation OF packers about whose
! methods and business there has been lii
tie or no real information. The coneI,i-
| sions of Commissioner Garfield are ii,
the more valuable as the INVESTIGATE
was by no means commenced IN ANYTHING
| like friendly or partial spirit and that
it has been full and complete is shown owl
when he says: AL the statistics taken
| from the books of the companies wera
| checked in che most thorough manner
| Totals selected at random were yerisied
| by the items. Many typical bdn..Ees -
| cattle have been traced from the time II
purchase to the time of sale as dressed
| beef, thus obtaining accurate informa.
| ton from original records OF costs. az
| actual selling prices and of ultimate
i profits. In many cases the Statements ~
/ cattle purchased by the companies wera
compared With accounts Of the commits
1 sion houses through whom the cattle
were sold. The various checks thus en-
. ployed lnasrs tbs absolute accuracy OF tie
figures.