Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-06-14
MESSAGE ON MEATS.
PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON CON
DITIoNS IN PACKlNGToWN.
Report of Commits sioners NafII end
Reynolds Sent to Congress with
Demand that Law Be Passed for
Rigid Inspection at Stockyards.

President Roosevelt Monday trans
mitted to Congress the first instaIment
of the report of Charles 2. NefH and
James B. Reynolds, appointed by him
20 investigate conditions in the Chicago
stockyards.
The report contains allegations of a
Gisreg gard of the first principles of dean
illness in PackingtOwn, but fails to
make many of the sensational charges
that have been rumOred. In comment
ing upon the document the President
says that it reveals a revolving con-
dition OF affairs, but calls attention to
the fact that most of the allegations
of his commissioners a. ply to canned
meats and not to the dressed product
that is the main staple Of the peoples
food.
As an absolutely necessary remedy.
Mr.. Roosevelt recommends the passage
of the Beveridge amendment providing
for a rigorous government inspection
from hoof to cam The cost of the
inspection must lie with the packers.
says the President, if it is to be al all
effective. The message follows:
Message of the President
The Senate and House of Representa-
lives: l transmit herewith the report of
James Bronson Reynolds and Commits
sioner Charles p. Neill, the special com
mittee whom | appointed to investigate
into the conditions in the stock yards of
Chicago and report thereon to me. This
report is of preliminary nature | sub
nit it to you now because it shows the
urgent need of immediate action by the
Congress in the direction of providing a
drastic and thoroughgoing inspection by
the federal government of all stock yards
and packing houses and of their products,
so far as the latter enter into interstate
or foreign commerce. The conditions
shown by even this short inspection to
exist in the Chicago stock yards are re-
voting. 1t is imperatively necessary in
the interest of health and of -decency that
they should be radically changed. Under
the existing law it is wholly impossible
to secure satisfactory results.
When my attention was first directed
to this matter an investigation was made
under the bureau of animal industry of
the Department of Agriculture When the
preliminary statements of this investiga-
ton were brought to nay attention they
showed such defects in the law and such
wholly unexpected conditions that l deem
ed 1t best to have further immediate
investigation by men not connected with
the bureau, and accordingly appointed
Messrs. Reynolds and Neill. 1t was i'm
possible under the existing law that sat
isfactory work should be done by the bu-
reau of animal industry. | am now.
however, examining the way in which the
work actually was done.
Before l had received the report of
MesSrs. Reynolds and Neill | had direct
ed that labels placed upon any package of
meat food products should state only that
the carcass of the animal from which the
meat was taken had been inspected at the
time of slaughter If inspection of meat
food products at all stages of preparation
is not secured by the passage of legisla-
ton recommended / shall feel compelled
to order hat inspection labels and certifi-
Gates on canned products shall not be
used herea fter.
Not Even Reasonably Clean.
The report shows that the stockvards
and packing houses are not kept even rea-
sonably clean, and that the method of
handling and preparing food products is
uncieanly and dangerous to health. Under
existing law the national government has
no power to enforce inspection of the
many forms of prepared meat food pro-
ducts that are daily going from the pack
ing houses inio interstate commerce. Ow-
ing to an inadequate appropriation the
Department of Agriculture is not even
able to place inspectors in all establish
ments desiring them. The present law
prohibits the shipment of uninspected
meat to foreign countries, but there is no
provision forbidding the shipment of un-
inspected meats in interstate commerce.
and thus the avenues of interstate com
merce are left open to traffic in diseased
or spoiled meats.
If, as has been alleged on seemingly
good authority, further evils exist, such
as the improper use of chemicals and
dyes, the government lacks power to rem
edy them. A law is needed which will
enable the inspectors of the general gov
eminent to inspect and supervise from
the hoof to the can the preparation of the
meat food product.
The evil seems to be much less in the
sale of dressed carcasses than in the sale
of canned and other prepared products
and very much less as regards products
sent abroad than as regards those used at
home.
In my judgment the expense of the
inspection should be paid by fee levied