The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-05
Roosevelt Sends Message
 to Congress.
LEGISLATION IS BADLY NEEDED
Report of Commissioners Shows
 Revolting Conditions.
investigation Not Yet Finished and Matter in Hand Is only Prelim-
 inary-Evil Seems to be in the Canned yvcducts.

Washington, June 4-President Roosevelt today sent to Congress the report of Messrs. Reynolds and Me- Neill, who investigated the condition of the stock yards at Chicago. Accom- panying the report, Mir Roosevelt sent message urging action by Congress to provide for system of inspection. The message and report follow:
 The Senate and House of Representa-
 tives:
 transmit herewith the report of Mir James Bronson Reynolds and Com missioner Charles P. Neill. the special committee whom appointed to fnves- tisate into the conditions in the stock yards of Chicago and report thereon to me. This report is of preliminary nature I submit 1t to you now be- cause 1t shows the urgent need of inn mediate action by the Congress in the direction of providing drastic and thoroughgoing inspection. by the Fed eral Government of all stock yards ucts. 50 far as the latter enter into interstate or foreign commerce The conditions shown by even this short stock yards are revolting. It is i'm peratively necessary in the interest of health. and decsncy. that they should
  tstinE law 1t is wholly impossible to secure satisfactory results.
 When my attention was first direct ed to this matter an investigation was made under the Bureau of Animal In dustry of the Department of Agricul- ture. When the preliminary statements my attention they showed such de- fects in the law and such wholly un-- expected conditions thet I deemed it best to have a further immediate in hV rftA connected the Bureau. and accordingly appointed Messrs. Reynolds and NeifL It was im- Satisfactory work should. De done by the Bureau of Animal Industry l am now, however. examining the way In wheh the Sad tSs reper Messrs. Reynolds and Nein I had di rected that labels placed upon any state only that the carcass of the animal from which the meat was talk en had been inspected at the time of products at all stages of preparation Is not secured by the passage of the Legislation recommended I shall feel compelled to order that inspection la- bels and certificates on canned prod ucts shall not be used hereafter,
 The report shows that the stock yards and packing houses are not kept even reasonably. clean. and that the products Is uncleaniy and dangerous
 
 National Government has no power to enforce inspection of the many forms of prepared meat products that are dali interstate commerce. Owing to an in- adequate appropriation the Department of Agriculture Is not even able to place ing them. The present law. prohibits the shipment of uninspected meat to f9rsgn but but thnre IS pTo inspected meats in interstate com nerce. and thus the, avenues of inter state commerce ,s ars left open to traffic been alleged on seemingly good au- thority further evils exist, such as the improper use of chemicals and dyes, the Government lacks power to reme- dy them. A law Is needed which will enable the inspectors of the General S+o ba heof to bs a1S t6. tion of the meat food product. The evil semes to be much less in the sale of dressed carcasses than in the sale. ucts.
 Tn my judgment the expenses of the inspection should be paid by fee lew led on each animal slaughtered. If this is not done, the whole purpose of the law can at any time be defeated through an insufficient appropriation; and whenever there was no particular public interest in the subject it would not only be easy but natural thus to make the appropriation insufficient. If it were not for this consideration I should favor the Government paying for 1t.
 ters oneerning this feature should Le, allayed by a realization of the fact that in no case. under such law. will the cost of Inspection exceed eight
 calf special attention to the fact that this report Is preliminary. and that the investigation is still unfinish- A Ts io at ln hA the alleged abuses In the use of dele terious chemical compounds in con- nection with canning and preserving toring in this fashion of tainted meat end of products returned to the pack CTS as having grown unstable or un- sons. Grave allegations are made in reference to abuses of this nature.
 Let n me ,nesp repeat n that under the p5Ses of stopping these abuses If they should be discovered to exist. Legislation is Srsseeded in 0rder is to prevent the possII1s no legislation Is passed. then the excei- lent results accomplished by the works of this special comn1ittee wM endure committees work is fresh land re- crudescence of the abuse is 7s lte- ly certain
 urge the immediate e'actr 1, in- to law of provisions nit1 wl ablo the Department of AEr uffu-a ade- uuatelv tn inspect the rH-7 ae L eat food products entering iu Inte tate commerce and to superN the me nods of preparing the san end t' pre- scribe the sanitary C1Ir lft43aF nder which the work shall pert .ei. I therefore commend &o you' avofable consideration and urg- - enactment of substantially the pr s.Crs kuoWu as Senate amendment No 21 rr v q act making appropriation for t-- De- partment of Agriculture For t.0 lscal wear ending Juno 30. us ssed by the Senate this am rlr-l- eing commonly known as fEr lry idge amendment.
 Theod tEouse 1t.
 The White House, Jsl t 100
 The President:
 As directed by you. f.ty.u tied the conditions in the prir'.r sl .ab- lishments in Chicago ergaEt5 tbA slaughter of cattle. sf t)gs,