, 1906-06-08

shall be the Judge of sanitation. Mr..
Wilson SAID that the only other sug-
gestion made by the Neill-Reynolds re
port to which the packers would have
any objection is the requirement that
the date of canning be placed on ali
canned articles. He said that would
serve no purpose, except to injure the
canned meat business.
Naturally, a buyer will choose the
article with the freshest appearing la
bel" said Mr.. Wilson, when, as a mat
ter of fact, the canned meat does not
deteriorate with age"
Would Not Eat "SWelIers."
In speaking of the return of goods,
he said that consignments are some
times sent back to the shippers be-
cause a nail had been driven through
a can in fastening up a box. This, he
said, would cause hat can to spoil and
the consignees would imagine that the
whole shipment had spoiled Then, it
is possible, in rare instances, for air to
have gotten into the can and caused it
to swell. He described such cans as
''swellers,' but said there is no dan
ger of these ever being eaten, and add
ed, with a laugh, not the slightest"
No n asked him why.
Bad Meat Never Used.
Would it be possible to put in cans
meat which has begun to purify ?"
asked Chairman Wadsworth.
Not unless the meat were accom-
panied by chemicals such as it would
be suicide to eat" replied Mr.. Wilson.
He declared that the use of bad meat
has never been attempted by reputable
packers and hat it would be suicide to
their business.
At this point a recess was taken for
luncheon.
Mr.. Wilson read a prepared state
ment to the committee, in which he
said:
lrreparable Injury.
THAT the livestock and packing in.
dustries have suffered an irreparable
injury by the unjust and unwarranLed
criticisms of the past week, l am sure
it. is unnecessary for me to tell you gen
tlemen, who are in such close touch
with the agricultural interests of the
country. Had the original motive been
simply the obtaining of legislation to
improve the inspection and sanitary
conditions, then, | say, the criticisms
have been doubly unjust and unfair,
for in the very inception of the ~investi-
cation, the commission and their supe-
riors were given the assurance of the
packers cooperation and their person.
al guarantee was given hat any prac-
teal recommendations would be well
coined and adopted.
Favor Best Conditions.
we are now and have always been
in favor of the extension of inspection;
also of the adoption of sanitary regula-
lions that will insure the very best pos
sible conditions, and in this connection
l most respectfully call your attention
to the recommendations of Messrs.
Neil and Reynolds, paragraph 7 of
their report, all of which, except in
minor details, has the hearty approval
and support of the packers. What we
are opposed to and what we appeal to
you gentlemen for protection against is
a bill that will put our business in the
hands of theorists, chemists, sociolo.
gists, etc, and the management and con-
troll taken away from the men who
have devoted their lives to the upbuild-
ing and perfecting of this great Ameri-
can industry.
MY denials of Messrs. Neil and Rey-
nold's report in detail would, of course,
simply be my opinion against theirs,
Notwithstanding my twenty years ex-
perience in the business"