Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-05-12
InvestloatIon Of the Packers.

Very general interest has been man
Tested in the government investign'
ton now in progress into the mode OF
conducting business by the large pack
ers 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 II seems that 30
far no definite charge OF any kind has
been sustained and no proof OF illegal
or inequitabie methods has been dis
closed to the public. While n wave Of
severe criticism OF this great indus
trial interest Is now passing over tho
country IL might be well TO remember
that tho packers have had as yet no
opportunity to make specific denial.
tho many indefinite charges OF wrong.
doing having never been formulated
40 that n categorical answer could bc
made.
The recent report OF Commissioner
Garfield. which embodied the results
OF nm ofiiciai Investigation undertaken
by the Department OF ComJnercc and
Labor OF the United States. was u vim
dication of the Western packers. but
this result having been unexpected ut.
tempts In many quarters to discredi, II
were made.
In view of the situation as II now
stands. however. attention may prop.
crly be called to u few facts
that owing to popular clamor are now
being apparently overlooked. Fair
treatment In this country has hereto.
fore been accorded to all citizens
whose affairs assume prominence in
the public eye and some OF the facts
that bear upon the relation Of the pack.
crs to the commerce Of the country
may Mt this time be briefly alluded TO.
II would be difiicnlt to estimate the
benefits gained by the farmers OF the
country resulting from the energetic
enterprise OF the packers. for whatever
Is OF benefit to the farmer IL gain to
the entire commerce Of the country.
s.nd connected with their continuous
aggressive work no feature perhaps
has been more important than their
Efforts In seeking outlets all over the
world for tho surplus products Of the
farmer. Our total exports OF agricul.
| tural products have gained but little
In the past twenty years. and leaving
out corn. the total OF all other farm
products was far less In 1908 than In
1891. But In packing house products
there was considerable gain during this
period. because an organized and pow.
erful force has been behind them seek.
Ing new and broader markets.
Bcsidcs the benefits rcapcd by farm
ers on account of the enterprise and
energy exercised by the packers in Mt.
tnining commercial results by foreign
| trade. the great development in the
manufacture OF packing house by.
products has added enormously to tho
value OF all live stock raised In the
United States. The waste material OF
twenty years ngo. then IN expense to
the packer. Is now converted Into nr.
ticlcs OF great value, and. rs an 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 be remembered while
now II Is so popular to regard the
great packing industry rs deserving
OF condemnation. At least II must be
admitted that, SO far there Is no nde>
quate 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 practically
exonerates the packers from the OBJ.
scure and indefinite charges that have
been for some time past made the SUBJ
ject of popular comment.-American
Homestead.