Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-03-24
Garfield's Report on Beef Industry
Favors Packers.

6aTuetu8 nepOIt on loef AHNuStt'f
Favors Packers.
The Garfield report on the organiza-
ton, conduct aud profits Of the corpo-
rations engaged in the beef packing
industry has been submitted to Presi-
dent Roosevelt and BY him transmitted
to Congress. The conclusions arrived
at BY the commissioner after, perhaps,
the. most drastic investigation Of busi-
ness methods ever known, were wholly
unexpected; at least BY those who for
some time past have been indulging in
unfriendly criticism upon the business
conducted by the great western pack
eTs.
This report indisputably demon
strates that the charges Of combination,
market control, extortion and others
along these lines have been either the
result Of misinformation or actual ig-
norance Of existing conditions or Of
deliberate misrepresentation IN aid Of
sensational journalism
The investigation was set OH foot by
Congress, conducted by the Department
Of Commerce and Labor and was
especially 10 charge Of the commits.
sioner, James r. Garfield. It has been
carried on for nearly a year, and dur
ing period when the popular mind
was inimicai to corporate interests
Its subject. too, being one Of vital in
terest to the public, as it involves
necessary food product there was every
motive on the part of the government
officials Of q most thorough and search
ing investigation. The report itself
bears ample testimony that the experts
employed by the government have gone
to the very bottom in their efforts to
get at the actual facts Of the situaton
There is too much Of it in book Of
about 800 pages for anything like q
deSailed revision, but IL may be said
thai it shows clearly and conclusively
that the severe criticism upon the
methods Of the packers has been I'M
reasonable and without foundation.
The report shows that the most Of
the recent complaint has been popular
clamor if not delusion based upon in
adequate information. It would appear
that some such official information wal
necessary to clear the atmosphere, fol
now it would seem TO be almost impos
sible to continue charges that have
been SO completely refutsd.
To summarize briefly this report, j
n is shown that, instead OF the practic'
! Of extortion and the amassing Of enor
nous fortunes by illegal methods, th,
Y packers are engaged in business Feall.
Z less profitable than any other large in
i dustry requiring similar large invest
i lment. The commissioner shows tina
q in the year 1902 when prices wer
highest the business was less profitabl
than usual and that some Of the lead
ing packers were actually losing none
l. on every head of cattle Slaughtered
9 Regarding control of cattle prices 9
# the different stock yards Of the country
II there is not the slightest hint that an
g. irregularity has existed.
g The commissioner specifically find
after the closest examination of q
books and papers by government O.
perts, that there is no over-capitalizi
Wy ton Of the several great firms and 90
porations engaged in the beef industr
IS and as to actual net profits, he cal
attention TO the fact that from July
he 1908, to July /, 1904, these we
ral shown to be by two Of the prinicp
mt companies, as ascertained from the
an books, only 80 cents per head Of Gait
on slaughtered, or 1876 cents per hundr
weight of dressed beef or less than on
eighth Of a cent per pound.
The more this report is examined
es, those whose desire is ITO get even wi
ST. the packers the less reason will
found to exist for popular discomfort
70 AS this official investigation disclol
no departure whatever, on the part
ach western packers, from clear, straigl
forward method Of doing business q
my as the commissioner vouches for
accuracy of the facts and figures FRI
lies which he draws his conclusions, thu
lev is every reason for its full and &C
plete acceptance.
lea. That the report can only disappo
end those who expected the disclosure
ian commercial irregularity and violati
Of business ethics is all the more reai
why the fair and conservative pub
should congratulate itself and
at packers that no irregularity or illeg
de- ity in the conduct of the business
haan discovered