The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-06-17

Very general interest has been
manifested in the government investt-
cation now in progress into the mode
of conducting business by the large
packers located in Chicago and else
where. Mach has been written upon
the alleged illegal and improper modes
Of business procedure connected with
the packing industry; but 1t seems
that SO far no definite charge OF any
kind has been sustained and no proof
Of illegal or inequitable methods has
been disclosed to the public. While
wave of severe criticism OF this great
industrial interest Is now passing over
the country, it might be well to re-
member that the packers have had as
yet no opportunity ID make specific de-
NAL the many indxfnite charges OF
wrong doing having never been for'nu-
lated so that categorical answer
| could be made.
The recent report Of Commissioner
| Garfield, which embodied the results
| of an official investigation undertaken
4 nv the department of commerce and
labor of the United States, was vin-
dication of the western packers, but
this result having been unexpected, at
tempts in many quarters to discredit II
were made.
In view of the situation as 1t now
stands. however, attention may proper
ly be called to few facts that owing
70 popular clamor are now being ap-
narently overlooked. Fair treatment
In this country has heretofore been &C
corded to all citizens whose affairs as
sumo prominence in the public eye ano
some of the facts that bear upon the
relation OF the packers to the com
merce Of the country may at this tins
he briefly alluded to. 1t would b'
! difficult to estimate the benefits gainet
, by the farmers of the country result
ing from the energetic enterprise
, The packers, for whatever Is OF benen
10 the farmer Is gain to the entir
, commerce of the country. And con
nected with their continuous aggres
siye work no feature perhaps has beel
more important than their enorts !
seeking outlets all over the world 10
? the surplus products OF the 1armel
:, Our total exports of agricultural PROD
y ucts have gained but little in the pas
= twenty years, and leaving out corn, I'd
= total of all other farm products wa
far less In 1903 than in 1891. But ]
= hacking house products there was col
> siderable gain during this period, b
:, cause an organized and powerful Ior'
has been behind them seeking ne
and broader markets.
!. Besides the benefits reaped by farm
ers on account of the enterprise al
energy exercised by the packers In
30 tanning commercial results by foreif
!. trade. the great development In u
;. manufacture of packing house by-pro
nets has added enormously to u
~ value of all live stock raised IN Z
20 limited States. The waste material
,e twenty years ago, then an expense
the hacker. is now converted into
:, t,cles of great value, and, as an &c
a. uomic fact, this must corresponding
increase the value to the farmer
every head of cattle marketed at I
an numerous stock yards OF the COUNT
Ok Let these facts be remembered wh
10 now it is SO popular to regard
ba great packing industry as deserving
4 condemnation. At least 1t must be
roo mitted that, SO far, there Is no q
,av cuata reason for the almost una
70 nous howl that may be heard eve
al where in the face of the Garfield
;rv pert above alluded to, which ssractic
,ea " exonerates the packers fro-i the
or scure and indefinite charges that b;
,vs been for some time past made the
,yo iect of popular comment.