The Washington times., 1906-05-28
VIII Reveal Packing Hor-
rors If Inspection Is
Opposed.
NELL -REYNG! lSREP0RT
FRIGHTENS MEAT TRUST
Shows Diseased MeatIS Med
lcated, COlored, Packed,
and Sold for Use.

81 ~ OOlNL III - ~
President Roosevelt is determined
TO secure the passage of the meat
inspection amendment TO the agri-
cultural BILL and in reply TO the
vigorous protests OF the beef pack
ers, who are out in full force to
defeat the measure. has issued an
ultimatum to those interests that
if the amendment is defeated he
viii send TO Congress the reports
in his possession disclosing the ex-
istence of abuses in the packing
houses, otherwise the reports viii
remain quietly in his possession.
Discussed at White House.
The entire situation was thoroughly
discussed today at a conference between
the President. Senator Carter OF Mon
tana. and Prof. c. P Nell. Commits
siO1er OF Labor Commissioner NeuI
himself prepared one of these reports,
having made careful investigation by
direction OF the President As the rep
resentatve Of the President and as a
Government official he was allowed
many privileges in the packing houses
There has been no intention on. the
Presidents part 10 hold reports,
which are not public documents. as a
club over the head OF the packers he
frankly declares that he does not With
hold them from the public because OF
any love fOr them. or because he feels
that n VIII jnJl-e them He takes rne
position that the reports would disclose
evils witch would cause revolution IN
public sentiment. which would not only
inlUre the packing business. but thou
sands OF cattle raiserS. who are inno-
cent OF the acts committed in the pack
inE houses
It is because Of his desire to protect
the interests of the stockmcu that the
President has withheld and will still
withhold the reports IN his possession
from The public.
Packers Fear Report.
The packers DO not want this report
made public They fear it would ire
parablv iniure their business bo-h for
eiSn and domestic. It was prepared BY
Charles Z. NELL. Commissioner OF
Labor. ard James * Reynolds. Assist
ant Secretary of the Treasury. Mr Nein
yesterday afternoon discussed the whole
situation with Speaker Cannon and Rep
resentative Martin 3. AIaddel Of Illinois.
and told them Of the things that would
be dlvUlgcd II his report were rlade
public When the interview was over
the Illinois men were q opinion thar
the packers would come of best Il they
accepted the legislation and succeeded
in suppressing the report.
But Ucton Sinclair. author Of The
Jingle" a Packingtown story thar
started al the trouble declares that
Federal inspection has already been de-
clared unconstitutional. and Will bs
again. This is his explanation OF the
willingness OF the packers 20 submit to
it. He demands that the report OF the
president commissioners be published
at once.
The packers are making a show OF
opposition 10 the passage Of the Rev-
eridge bill 81 tn House but whether
they really hope 10 head - of OF are
merely trying TO extort from the Presi-
dent a pledge that he VIII not make
public the Neiu Reynolds report is
mOoted. Their chief reliance will be
placed in the livestock growers inf1u-
cnce- It IS proposed TO food the House
with telegrams OF protest from Lhe
stockmen OF the Western and South
western States, who will be assured
that inspection will greatly injure the
meat business end consequently reduce
'he prices they can hope TO get for their
stock
Stockmen and Public Gouged
Western Corgressmen say that the
packers viii have dubious success in
this effort for two reasons. In the first
place the raisers Of livestock are Nv
nC means friendly 70 the trust They
believe Il has been for years and is now
gouging them and the consuming pub
lie, paying less for stock than il is
worth and selling its products for more
than a fair profit; both these things be-
ing possible because of the practical
monopoly the trust enjoys But beyond
this. the stocknen do not see how prices
for cattle and hogs are 10 suffer by a
system Of Inspection that would prevent
the use Of much meat that is now doc
tored up and sold
Meanwhile Upton Sinclair has come
forward with a volunteered epitome OK
what viii be shown by the Neiu-Rey-
rolds report II It is made public
Sinclair's Statement
The present system of inspection" he
SAYS. is simply an advertisement for
the packers. TIE pretense is made that
their products have the Endorsement OF
rnent. when. matter OF GtSt. al
their rascality and all they are 50
anxious 10 conceal takes place in tho
outside houses. where the inspectors
never enter The trepidation they show
over the possibility of this report be-
substance OF It's contents. is the best
Droof Of their guilt