The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-06-14

| only necessary to instance the following
portions of a letter received from a mos
competent and trustworthy witness ir
! Chicago, whose name l will give the
| Committee If it so desires:
| Chicago, Friday, June l.
| On Monday l began a tour of al
| the great packing-houses, going first tt
Libbys. then Swift's.
! Tuesday all the morning discussed
changes that ought to be made, and
caught glimpse Of the awakening al
Armours. In the afternoon visited the
plant with the Superintendent.
| wednesday l rested and contem.
| plated the Awakening of Packing.
town." 1t is miraculous. Thursday die
| Nelson Morris. with the Superintendent
Nelson Morris has done much
| to make things better. BY the time the
next inspecting party arrives they will
| have still more new lavatOries. toilet
| rooms, dressing rooms, etc. Cuspidors
everywhere, and signs prohibiting spit.
| ting. In most the awakening seemed tC
come by force from without. There was
| the slightest indication that the "stil
small voice. was at work also.
AT Armour'S, at my SuggeStion-l
| made no pretense Of making an investi.
cation. but frankly announced my de-
sire to see things for myself and to gel
fresh impression of conditions as
had not seen the plants since before the
| cation of an almost humorous haste tC
clean up, repave and even to plan foI
future changes. Brand new toilet rooms
new dressing rooms, new towels. etc
Swift's and Armour's were both sc
! cleaned up that / was compelled e
cheer them on their way by expires sing
my pleasure at the changes. The sau-
sage girls were moved upstairs where
they could get sun and light. they to
| have dressing rooms, etc. / asked for
showers and lockers for the casing
| workers at Armour's and got a promise
that they would put them in. The can
ming and stuff1ng room, chip beef and
beef extract at Armour's seemed really
quite good. In all of these rooms the girls
| work. AT Lbhys the girls are to be put
into blue calico uniform, which they
Will buy at One-half price. They are
putting in toilet rooms, which they say
are temporary. and that when the build
ing is remodeled they will have these
put in better place. The haste toward
were not so nearly tragic.
They tried to win my help on the
ground that loss of foreign trade would
mean hardship for the workers in my
neighborhoOd. and / must say / do share
this fear. but / cannot see the wisdom
of my coming out publicly and saying
that i saw indication of an awakening.
for I want the changes to be radical
and permanent. even though We all have
to suffer for the present.
Il wish to repeat that my investiga-
tons are not yet through. l am not
prepared to make a final statement
either as to so much Of the complaints
as concern the management of the Bu-
reau OF Animal Industry or as to GER
tain of the graver charges in connection
with the authorizations of meat products,
as well as certain other matters But
enough has been developed I'm my judy
ment. to call for immediate thorough
going and radical enlargement Of the
powers Of the Government in inspecting
all meats which enter into Interstate
and foreign commerce. Unfortunately,
the misdeeds Of those who are RESPONSE
BILE for the abuses we design to cure will
bring discredit and damage not only up
on them, but upon the innocent stock
growers. the ranchmen and farmers of
the country. The only way permanent
~ to protect and benefit these innocent
stock growers, these farmers and ranch
men. Is to secure by law the thorough
and adequate inspection for which 1
have asked.
Sincerely, yours.
Theodore Roosevelt"
The Agricultural Experts Statements.
DR.. Melvin. Chief Of the Bureau OF
Animal Industry, states in his letter to
the President that the report he makes
is very complete and detailed. as 1t was
1ect clear and distinct. so 1t would not
be misunderstood and misconstrued."
Then DR.. Melvin says:
From personal observation / know
that sanitary conditions at abattoirs
where this Bureau maintains inspection,
while not always satisfactory, are much
superior to those at the average estab-
lishment without such inspection. 1
know, further. that many diseased ami
mails are not shipped to market centers
where inspection by the Bureau is main
tanned, but are disposed Of in other
ways. In my opinion 1t is most impor-
tant that the inspection should be ex-
tended as rapidly as possible Gf the ap-
preparations permit such extensiOn), in
order that the avenues for the disposal
Of diseased animals be reduced to a
minimum. The demand for inspection
at establishments not having such in
spection has been much greater than
the Department has been able to meet
on account OF the limited appropriation,
and for the same reason 1t has not been
possible to increase the efficiency OF the
service as rapidly as is desirable.
1T might be well to state here that
In any slaughter-house, no matter how
sanitary the conditions may be, there is
much that Is revolving to one unaccus-
toned to such sights, and one who visits
them must expect to witness scenes OF
blood and offal and to have his nostrils
offended by disagreeable odors as well
as to see finely-dressed beef and mutton
and tempting hams and bacon"
Two points stand out in this report.
One. that Congress Is to blame for not
providing money to give the Govern
ment Inspectors sufficient to inspect all
the packing houses, and the other, that
over-nice people who faint at the sight
OF blood and do not like the smell of
grease and lard and stock yards in gem
eral. should not be considered good
judges Of what is sanitary and what is
unsanitary. The President himself COM
ments on the lack Of emphasis in Or.
Melvin's report.
From the questions asked by the
members Of the Committee on Agricul-
ture IL would seem as though they
thought more OF DR.. Melvin's report
than OF the acknowledgements. The re-
port OF the Bureau OF Animal Industry.
IL given to the country first. would GER
tafnly have answered every purpose. and
yet not alarmed and irritated the meat
eating public or disturbed the foreign
| markets. 1t is plain. practical, COM
nonsense story In minute detail OF the
various abattoirs visited. There Is not
| the slightest attempt to be sensational,
| and 1t sounds as though II had been
w xs,h