Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-05
PACKERS REPLY.
Say Report Is Unfair and Deny Presi-
dents Assertions.

Chicago. June flight meat packing
establishments Of Chicago tonight is
sued a joint statement, replying to the
charges made in the Neill and Reynolds
report of their investigation of the
packing plants and to President Roose-
velt's message to Congress.
The packing companies who affixed
their signatures to the statement are:
Armour & Co, Swift & CO., Nelson
Morris & 90. G. II. Hammond Co,
Omeha Packing Co, Anglo-American
Prey. Co.. Libby. Mcneil and Libby,
and Schwarzschild, Sulzberger and Co.
The statement follows:
THE question raised as to whether
diseased meats are sold by our pack
ing house is a question OF which the
whole world wants facts, and the trust
must be told if the entire meat and live
stock industry is to have square deal.
This vital side of the whole question,
however, is absolutely ignored in Pres
iden Roosevelts message and all but
omitted from notice in the Ncill-Rey-
nolds report.
Every pound of meat in our pack
ing house come from animals which are
Inspected and passed by trained veteri-
nary agents Of the department of agri
culture. This is the absolute fact We
are not interested in animals condemn
ed before slaughter. We do not buy
them. Every animal bought by us is
inspected both before and after slaugh-
ter in accordance with the strictest in
|spectiOn regulations ever devised in any
country. not even excepting Germany
Every animal or carcass that does not
pass this rigid inspection is condemn
Cd and disposed of under the personal
supervision of the agents of the United
States department of agriculture.
'"The administration at Washington
knows the facts. The writer's of the
Neill-Reynolds report know them That
these are the facts is reluctantly admit
ted in their report, but even this slight
assurance to the public is almost bur
led in the tail end of what they have
written.
I'VE have been believers in rigid an.
imal and meat inspection since the in
spection was first begun. We have
shown our belief in it by shouldering
| for the benefit of the country. an annu'
| al loss of approximately 1000. 900. oul
| loss on animals which are bought rs
healthy and condemned on Inspection
after slaughter. And now in spite o
persistent misrepresentation, we arr
heartily in favor of making this in
| spection more efficient if that can b,
| done. and of extending operation of thu
! law to cover the sanitary conditions o
! packing houses.
10 IA ha al that MnCcrc
| Neill ana Reynolds did not get prar
teal light on their subject before writ
| ing 4 report in which it is APPARENT,
assumed that blood. grease and tina
every day incidents of animal slaugh
| tering. are dirt. In contrast with thei
| view we call attention to 4 report 81
packing house conditions by Prof. T. ]
| Burrill. Phi. d.. vice president and pro
lessor Of bact"riology of the UniverSit
of Illinois and Prof. II. s. Grndley, pro
fessor Of chemistry at the same insti
| tuition"
This report by Profs. Rurrill an
| GrindlCy. which reciteS the results q
/ an investigation made within 10 days
offered by the packers as their com
mentary on the detailed allegations 9
Messrs. Neill and Reynolds. After goin
into details on their investigation an
asserting that the general condition !
connection with the meat packing in
dutry are as good as could be eXpecte
under the circumstances the profes
sors' report says:
Our observations make it impossibl
for us TO believe the horrible stories rt
Gently appearing in print. or that any
!. thing approaching the described col
; ditions in this industry really exist
L; was apparent to us that the work {
: | the government inspectors was dor
in strict accordance with the regula
= tions issued by the bureau of amin;
industry. The condemned carcasses {
parts OF carcasses are followed by thes
> officials. notwithstanding statements t
. | the contrary. to the rendering tank
ard these tanks are sealed and ur
| sealed in their presence and only i
| their presence. If these men are con
. petent for their worl, and they appe al
led to US to be performing their duty,