The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-05
CHICAGO MEAT PACKERS
issue joint Statement
DENY ALL CHARGES MADE IN
REPORT SUBMITTED TO
CONGRESS.

Oeclare Iheir FIants Are hepb CIeah,
Their Methods of Manufacture Sani-
tary and Their Products wholesome
Doctors, Chemists, Sanitarians and
official Investigators from Nearly
Every Civilized Nation on the Earth
Have Been Entirely Satisfied in
Every Particular.
Chicago, June 4.-Eight meat pack
ing establishments of Chicago tonight
issued joint statement, replying to
the charges made in the Neiu and
Reynolds report of their investigation
of the packing plants, and to President
Roosevelt's message to congress.
In this statement the packers declare
that their plants are kept clean, their
methods of manufacture are sanitary,
their products wholesome, and that for
years doctors, chemists, sanitarians and
official investigators from nearly every
civilized nation on earth, who have
made examinations of the manner in
which the meat packing plants are con-
Quoted, have been entirely satisfied in
every instance with the conditions ex-
listing in this industry. Despite this
fact, the packers assert that they stand
ready to adopt any practical suggestion
in the line Of Improvement The pack
ing companies who affixed their sig
natures to the statement are Armour
& Co., Swift & Co., Anglo-Ainerican
Provision Co., Nelson Morris g. Co.,
G. H. Hammond Co., Omaha Packing
Co., Libby Mcneil & Libby, and
schwarzschfid sulberger.
The statement, which bears the off,
cial signature Of &each of these corr
porations, follows:
"The question raised as to whether
diseased meats are sold by.our packing
houses IS question on which the
whole world wants the facts and the
truth must be told If the entire meat
square deal This vital side of the
whole question, however, Is absolutely
ignored in President Roosevelt's mes
sage, and all but omitted from notice
In the Neill4Reynolds report
Every pound of meat In our pack
ing house comes from animals which
are inspected and passed by trained
Urinary agents of the department OF
agriculture. This Is the absolute fact
We are not Interested In animals con-
demned before slaughter, We do not
buy them Every animal bought by us
| is inspected both before and after
| slaughter in accordance with the strict
est inspection regulations every devised
in any country, not even excepting
Germany, Every animal or cvarcass
| that does not pass this rigid inspection
is condemned and disposed Of under
the personal supervision Of the agents
Of the United States department OF ag
riculture.
THE administration at Washington
knows the facts. The writer's of the
Neill-Reynolds report know them
That these are the facts is reluctantly
admitted in their report but even this
slight reinsurance to the public is al,
most buried in the tail end of what
they have written.
I'VE have been believers In rigid ami
NAL and meat inspection since the in
spection was first begun. We have
shown our belief in it by shoulderlne
for the benefit of the industry an an
nual loss of approximately 81, 100000, our
loss on animals which are bought as
healthy and condemned on Inspection
after slaughter. And now, in spite OF
persistent Misrepresentation, we are
heartily In favor of making this inspee-
tion more efficient, If that oan be done
and of extending operation of the law
to cover the sanitary conditions Of
packing houses.
1T is to be regretted that Messrs
Neil and Reynolds did not get prao.
tical light on their subject before writ
ing a report in which it is apparently
assumed that blood, grease, and thai
every day Incidents of animal slaugh'
tering are dirt. In contrast with thei
view we call attention to a report OF
packing house conditions by Professor
II. j. Burrill, Phi. D., vice president anC
professor Of bacteriology of the Univer
sfty of Illinois, and Professor H. S
Grindley, professor of chemistry at tn
same institution"
This report by Professor Burrill an(
Grindley, which reeites the results O
an investigation made within ten days
is offered by the packers as their com
mentary on the detailed allegations o
Messrs Neill and Reynolds. After go
ing into details on their investigation
and asserting that the conditions Il
connection with the meat packing in
dutry are as good as could be expecte
under the circumstances, the professor
report says:
Our observation made it impossibi
for us to believe the horrible storie
anything approaching the describe
conditions in this industry really ex
lists. 1t was apparent to us that tn
work of the government inspectors wa
, done in strict accordance with the reg
ulations issued by the bureau of ami
NAL industry. The condemned carcasse
or parts of carcasses are followed b
? the sc officials, Notwithstanding state
ments to the contrary, to te renderin
tanks, and these tanks are sealed an
unseale5 in their presence, and only i
, their presence. If these men are com
petent for their work, and they appear
ed to us to be performing theiE dut!
; 1t is impossible for the packers, if the
so desired, to use unlawfully condemn
ed animals or carcasses.
I'VE paid particular attention to tn
charges that the employees spit 0