Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-03-16
COMMISSIONER GARFIElO'S RE.
PORT.
1t Is Found to BE Favorable to the
Grcat Packers.


1t Is Found to BE Favorable to the
Great Packers.
The report of Commissioner of Cor
porltions Garfield on the beef indus,
try. after about eight months investi'
CATION in Chicago and elsewhere,
shows that there has been an enormous
amount Of eXaggeration in the state
ments that have appeared for some
time past in regard to the beef bust
ness. This investigation was set on
foot by Il resolution Of the House CT
Representative adopted March {, 1904,
and the ascertainel facts after most
rigid examination of the methods ana
general conduct of the business are
contained in a report covering sos
pages. It's figures and tables cOnclu-
sively show that the popular belief in
enormous profits made by the large
packers. such as Armour & Co, Swift
& co. ana Nelson Morris & Co. and
in the exclusive control Of the bust
ness which many think they enjoy, Is
really without foundation.
The report made to President RO0Se-
welt by Commissioner Garfield is real
ly the first official statement Of the ac-
fUal conditions Of the beef business
that has been made, and as all the con
clusions arrived at are based, as shown
by him. upon data officially obtained,
there seems to be 10 reason why they
should not be regarded as reliable and
in all respects trustworthy.
This report shows why the price of
both cattle and beef advanced to the
highest level ever known after the
short corn crop of 1901, and states that
because of the decrease in number Of
cattle and also in decreased weight.
the high prices of beef which caused
so much complaint among consumers
at this time were attributable wholly
TO these abnormal cattle prices"
All the figures of the live weight
and live cost OF all dressed beef cattle
were obtained from actual killing rec
,ords and ali information of every kind
obtained by the Commissioner was
voluntarily and freely offered by the
packers, all books of record and papers
connected with the business having
placed at his disposal.
To make certain that the results OF
the investigation should be absolutely
accurate. the Commissioner states that
double method of aScertaining profits
was adopted, and, without going into
detail here it is found that the conclu
sion arrived at shows an average profit
OF % cents per head. The Commits
sioner says the close parallelism in
the results of the two methods of ascer
tanning the profits confirms completely
the correctness of the general cOnclu
SionS" 1t is clearly established that
western packers do not control more
than half of the beef supply of the
United States the conclusion of the
Commissioner being that the business
done by them amounts to about a.
per cent of the total slaughter of the
country.
The whole report is extremely inter.
eSting and well worthy of careful pc
rusal. AS an official report it may be
regarded as worthy Of confidence and
1t certainly leads the reader to the
conclusion arrived at by the Commits,
FiOner when he states that the capital,
iZatiOn of none Of these concerns is
excessive as compared with its actual
investment" and that from thorough
and rigid examination of original en-
tries in books and papers to which he
Lad access there was also indirect evi.
dence that the profits of the packers
IN their beef business are less than is
frequently supposed" as shown by
comparison between the total profits
and the total amount of sales.