The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-06-15
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
June 9, 1906.

uelINtIcu d SudTp EcUukc W
Chairman Wadsworth of the
House Committee on Agriculture
that has been holding hearings
on the Neill- Reynolds report con.
corning the dreadful conditions
prevailing in the Chicago pack
ing houses. Chairman Wads
worth's attitude throughout the
investigation has been remark
able and has caused comment all
over the country and especially at
the capital. BE has appeared
openly as an advocate of the
packers and during the hearings
this week when both Mr.. Neill
and Mr.. Reynolds were called to
the stand, they we're cross ques.
toned and treated with as scant
courtesy as if they had been the
ones under investigation instead
Of the packers. This attitude
of the chairman and some Of the
members of the mmittee
was so clearly to be seen that
the other members of the com
mittee protested against it and
said that Commissioner Nell and
Mr.. Reynolds were at least en-
titled to as much courtesy and
consideration as was shown to
the representative of the packers.
The President today wrote to
Mr.. Wadsworth and transmitted
to him the report of the com
mittee of investigation appointed
by the Secretary of Agriculture.
This report bore out the general
statement Of MesSrs. Neill and
Reynolds. This report was couch.
ed in very colorlesS language,
but the maiD facts were there. dis
guished as well as they could
be under precise departmental
phraseOlOgy. The Pre- 5 d emit
called the attention of Mr.. Wa
worth 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 bur
that enough had been shown
already to prove that drastic leg.
lSlation was necessary to correct
the abuses that had been deyel
oped.
He added for the delectation
of Mr.. WadswOrth a letter from
another Investigator, at present
unnamed. who is still in the neld
This gentleman, whoever he is,
is evidently a personal friend OF
the President and wrote in
familiar and confidential vein.
saying that his part of the work
had not yet been completed hui
that he had taken a little time off
to watch what be characterized
as 1.-THE awakening of Packing
ton" He said that from the mo
ment that the report of the
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 he detailed
some of the changes in method
and renovation that had been
accomplished. He said that the
most of it came from the fear of
publicity aud the financial con-
sequences, but that there was
mixed with the general move
ment, some small, though very
small evidence that the con
sciences of these slave driving
masters had been a little touched
by the portrayal of conditions
that they had themselves ere.
ated.
Altogether it was not a nice
piece of correspondence for Mr..
Wadsworth to have to swallow,
especially as the President i'm
mediately proceeded to make it
all public. But it was the sort
of a public singing rebuke that
apparently the chairman of the
committee needs to make him
realize that he is being spoken
to.
Meantime Commissioner Neill
seems to be taking his roastings
before the committee good natur
eddy. He was asked after the
second days session how long he
thought that his inquisition was
going to continue he replied
that he did not know, but that
it could not coutinue too long
for him 'You know" he said
by way of explanation. II come
of Irish stock, and it is the general
impression that when my an
cestors wanted diversion, they
went out and killed a landlord.
Well, if the landlords want to
take a hand in the killing now,
l will be there while it is going
on"
The humane societies of the
country are taking advantage of
the present discussion to call at
tention afresh to another phase |
of the slaughter business in Chic.
ago that begins long hefnra tho