New-York tribune., 1906-05-31
PACKERS HARD AT WORK
STOCKNEN STIRRED UP.
Investigation Still Going On-Re-
port May Be Made Public.
[From The Tribune Bureau.I

Warrington May 3O-Although neither house
Of Congress has been in session to-day. the Pres-
dent has been out of the city and many metn-
bers of Congress have been away, the Meat IN
spection bill has been discussed with unabated
earnestness. Many members of the House. VINO
came to the Capitol to open their mali to-day
found increased evidence of the activity of the
packing interests in the form of protests from
cattle rasers whose anxiety is being systematl-
cally cultivated by the interests opposed to the
measure.
These interests have also undertaken to
frighten the consumer by alleging that the in
creased expense resulting from the federal in
spection of their products and packing houses
will result in materially increasing the cost or
meat but only few of the consumers have
taken this bait and the large majority seem to
feel that the Beef Trust has done nearly its
worst in this respect and that, in any case, they
would prefer a federal guarantee that what meat
they do buy is healthy and properly dressed
rather even than a Slight diminution in price.
Members of the House seem determined that
the report of Messrs. NelI and Reynolds shall be
made public regardless of the effect such pub
lication may have upon the export trade. and
the President will probably crafty this demand
if it appears TO be shared in by the really re-
sponsibe members of Congress. The press in all
par u VI LIle country appears 10 Do TAXING lN6
ground that so much has already been publishe5
that the entire rannrH raiq1,. ae weJ kc,-rna q.
public. that the truth can do no more harm than
the rumors founded on the supposed facts: and it
is entirely possbs that the President will come
10 share this opinion
The view is advanced in some quarters that the
Presiden1 has given the Beef Trust it, coup de
grace that the ultimate result of the presen-
exposure will be a demand for stringent state
laws and that consumers will come to de-
mand meat killed and prepared for market in
their own state and under their state laws.
1t is charged that in some places the methods
whereby the trust has destroyed competitors
have been not less piratical than those attrb-
uted TO the Standard Oil Company. For in
stance, it is related of one Western city that a
local butcher, outraged at certain methods Of
the trust, attempted to slaughter his own
beeves, that the trust Immediately established
a retail market next door to him and far un-
dersold him that he was finally ruined and COM
pclIed TO give up to fight If, however, the con-
suming public comes to demand home-killed
meats these methods Of disposins of competition
would be rendered impossible and local abat-
toirs may again flourish throughout the land
There is no question regarding the attitude of
the stock raiserE. They would welcome a return
10 the old methods of local killing and it would
seem that they might receive higher prices for
their stock under such methods They have all
along complained that they were entirely at the
mercy OF the comoincd laTg. stockyards of the
country, and they point TO the fact that in some
Instances they are obliged to transport their
stock five hundred miles to market only to have
the dressed carcasses shipped back five hundred
miles over the road because the trust
would not permit any local butcher to dress the
stock.
1t is generally regarded as most remarkable
that a measure which had never been heard OF
two weeks ago and which went through the
Senate without debate division should have
aroused an interest hardly second TO that at
tending the railway rate legislation, but such is
the case and the methods which the trust is
pursuing TO create opposition are likely to aus
ment the excitement.
There are rumors that the Speaker of the
House is opposed to the meat inspection bin, but
this cannot be verified. Mr. Cannon declines to
commit himself.
1t is officially announced that the first report
of Messrs. Neill and Reynolds is almost com,
pleted. but that, in the case of the Standard
Oil report the full report will be issued IN
sections. The investigation is still in progress
the work being done by proxies for the first in
vestigators. and il is intimated that the further
the inquiry proceed the worse is the situation
. revealed.