Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-06-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
trrom our Regular Correspondent

SudTB TCDuhc W tAdA w QUO " va Va
of the House Committee on Agricul-
ture that has been holding hearings on
the Neill- Reynolds report concerning |
the dreadful conditions prevailing in |
the Chicago packing houses. Chair
man Wads worth 3 attitude throughout
the investigation has been remarkable
and has caused comment all over the
country and especially at the Capitol.
He has appeared openly as an advocate
of the packers and during the hear
ings this week when both Mr.. Neill
and Mr.. Reynolds were called to the
stand. they were cross questioned and
treated with as scant courtesy as
though they had been the ones under
investigation instead of the packers.
The attitude of the chairman and some
of the members of the committee was
so marked that other members Of the
committee protested against it and said
that Commissioner Neill and Mr.. Rey.
nolds were at least entitled to as much
courtesy and consideration as was
shown TO the representative of the
packers.
The President today wrote to Mr..
WadswOrt and transmitted him the
report of the committee of investiga-
ton appointed by the Secretary of
lAgrlculture. This report bore out the
general statement of Messrs. Neill and
Reynolds. The report WAS cOuched in
very cOlolless language, but the main
facts were there, disguised as we'll as
they could be under precise depart
mental phraseology. The President
called the attention of Mr.. Wadsworth
to the fact that there was no conflict
of statement between the two reports
and added that the investigation he
had in hand was by no means finished
but that enough had been shown al
ready to prove that drastic legislation
was necessary to correct the abuses
that had been developed.
| He added for the delectatiOn of Mr..
Wads worth letter from another in
vestigatOr, at present unnamed, who
is still in the field. This gentlemen,
whoever he Is, is evidently q personal
friend of the President and wrote in a
familiar and confidential vein, saying
that his part of the work had not yet
been concluded but that he had taken
a little time off to watch what he char
acterized as 1.-The awakening of Pack
lingtown." He said that from the mo.
ment the report of conditions had been
made public, the packers had been
working day and night to get their
places in some sort OF shape for public
inspection Then be detailed some of
the changes in method and renOva-
ton that had been accomplished. He
SAID that the most of it came from the
fear of publicity and the financial con-
sequences, but that there was mixed
with the general movement some small,
though very small evidence that the
lconsciences of these slave driving
masters had actually been a little
touched by the portrayal of conditions
they had themselves created.
Altogether it was not a niece piece
of correspondence for Mr.. WadswOrth
to have to swallow, especially as the
President Immediately made it all pub
lie. But it was the sort of stinging
public rebuke that apparently the
make him realize that be is being spok-
en- to.
Meantime Commissioner Neill seems
to be taking his roastings before the
committee good naturally. He was
asked after the second days session
how long he thought his inquisition
was going to continue be replied that
be did not know. but that it could not
continue too long for him. "You
KNOW" he said by way of explanation,
81 come of Irish stock, and it is the
general impression that when my ances-
tors wanted diversion. they went out
and killed landlord. Well, if the
landlords want to take hand in the
killing now, will be there while it is
going on"
The humane societies of the country
are taking advantage of the present
discussion to call attention afresh to
another phase of the slaughter business
in Chicago that begins long before the
cattle get to the yards. 1t is the ques-
tion of railroad transportation during
which the cattle are carried % hours. or
longer if the cattlemen can contrive it,
without food or water. The results is
that many of them die in transit, are
knocked down and their legs broken
and the whole trainl0ad made crazy
mad with fear and suffering. Their
meat is rendered unfit for human food
and the loss in the aggregate to the
cattle raisers is enormous. A strong
effort will be made when the packing
house conditions are being rearranged
to force the separation of the killing
and the packing depart ments. 1t is
held by many that if the cattle could
be killed where they are reared or rea-
sonably close in the neigh bOrh0od. the
work could be done just as economi-
cally and expeditiously and the inspec-
tion would be much more effective and
carried out under more sanitary con-
ditiOns.
There is a hot fight on the statehood
bill going on. 1t had almost been ac-
cepted as an accomplished fact that
Oklahoma and Indian Territory would
be allowed to come in together and that
the referendum would be worked on
New Mexico and Arizona. But "Uncle |
Joe" is nightly sot in his way and be
is going to insist on New Mexico and