The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-06-07
EXPOSE SECRETS
OF STOCK YARDS
PRESIDENT SAYS THAT CONDITIONS
IN CHICAGO SLAUGHTER HOUSES
ARE SHOCKING.
IMMEDIATE FACTION NECESSARY
Public Health Imperiled by the Dirt and
Disease-Commissio Make
Their Report.
AWFUL FILTH ON EVERY SIDE.

AWFUL FILTH ON EVERY SIDE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., June a
Chairman Wadsworth, of the House coms
mittee on agriculture made this predic-
ton to the Associated Press today;
"A meat inspection law will be en-
acted which will insure to the consumer
meat fit TO be eaten
WASHINGTON, u. G., June f.
President Roosevelt today sent TO Con
grcss a message and report on the cond!-
tons in the Chicago stock yards.
The report is by the special commits
sioners named by the President to in
yetigate the charges that the conditions
in the stock yards were a danger to
public health. The report says that an
absence of cleanliness was found every
where in the handling Of meat being pre-
pared for the various meat food products.
Congress is asked to pass laws to pro-
tect the public.
The Presidents Message.
The Presidents message was as fol-
lows:
The Senate and House of Representatives,;
! transmit herewith the report OF James
Bronson Reynolds and commissioner
Charles J.. Nrill, the special commit t."
whom | appointed TO investigate mo Inc
conditions IN the stock yards OF Chicago ana
report thereon t. me. This report IS oi
preliminary nature. / submit 1t 70 y'H now
because 1t shows the urgent need of imint-
diatc action by the Congress in the dir"c'
ton Of providing drastic and thorough
going inspection 10y the federal government
Of all stock yards aud packing houses a mo
of their products SO far as the latter enter
into interstate or foreign commerce.
Conditions Are Revolving.
The conditions shown ry even this short
inspection TO exist in the Chicago STOCK
yards are revolving. II Is tInpcrauN'Iy
necessary In the interest Of drcrhcy mat
they SHOULD be radically changed. Under
the existing law ii rs wholly Impossible 10
secure satisfactory results.
Defects in the Law.
when my attention was first directed to
this matter an Investigation was mad" uu-
der the bureau of animal Industry of IN"
department of agriculture" When Tie Pre-"
limlnary statements of this investigation
were brought to my attention they showed
such defects that / deemed 1t best TO have
n further immediate investigation by men
not connected with the bureau, aud accord
ingy appointed Mcssrs Reynolds aud NeilL
1t was impossible under the existing law
that satisfactory WORK should ," done ny
however, examining the way in which the
work actually was done
Closer Inspection Necessary.
Before had received the report OF
M"ssrs Reynolds and NELL | had directed
that labels placed upon any package OF
meat food products should stat" only mat
the carcass Of the animal from which the
meat was taken had been inspected at tn"
time of slaughter II inspection of meat
food products at al stages of preparation
Is not secured 10y the passage of legislation
recommended, / shall feed compelled 10 on
der that inspection lubrls and certificates
on canned products shall not be used herr
inter.
Dangerous to Health.
The report shows that the stock yards
nud packing houses are not kept even rea
souahly clean, ANA that the method OF
handling ANA preparing FOOD products is
unclennly ana dangerous TO health, Under
, existing law tn" national government has
no power to enforce inspection Of the many
forms OF prepared meat food products that
are daily going from the packing houses
Into interstate commerce. owing 10 nm IN
adequate appropriation the department OF
agriculture is not even able TO place IN
spcctors IN all establishments desiring them,
The present laws prohibits III" shipment or
uniuSpcctcd meat 10 foreign countries but
there rs no provision forbdding the snip
ment of uniuspccted meats In Interstate
commerce. and thus the avenues of inter
state commerce are left open to traiic in
diseased or spoiled meats
Protection Is Needed.
II. us has been alleged on seemingly good
authority further evils exist, such as the
improper use of chemicals aud dyes the gov
eminent lacks power 10 remedy them \
law Is needed which viii Cuahf, the In
Fpectors of the general government to in
spcct aud supervise from the huof to the
Gun the preparation Of the meat food prod
uct The evil seems to bc much less iu the
sale Of dressed curcussrs than in the sale
OF canned aud other prepared proau Is
Packers Should Pay.
In my Judgment. the expense Of the IN.
spcctiuu should bc paid Ny u fee levied on
cnch aumnl slaughtered. II this is not
done, the whole purpose of the law can at
uuy time hr defeated through an Insult
nciont appropriation. and whenever there
was no particular public interest IN the
subject 1t would be not only easy but nat
ural thus to make the appropriation insult
fclcnt II it were not for this consldcra-
ton, | should favor the government paying
for II.
Inspection Costs Little.
The alarm expressed ia certain quarters
concerning this feature should he alaypd
hy realization of the fact that in no ease
under such n law will the cost of inspection
exceed : cents per h"uh
| call special attention to the fact that
this report ~ preliminary, ana that the In
vcstigHtiou Is still unfinished. II ~ not
vet possible To report ON IA" alleged abuses
In the use ~ dclotcrlous chemical com
lblililN j.
serving meat products, nor on the alleged
doctorlug ia this fashion Of tainted meat
aud OF products returned to the packers
ns having grown unsuitable or unusahlc from
age or other reasons. Grave allegations
are made IA reference TO abuses Of this
nature,
Let me- repent that under the present law
there practically is no method Of stoupIug
these nnusrs If they should be discovered
TO exist Legislation Is needed In order to
prevent III" possibility OF all abuses In tho
future II no legislation is passed, then
the excellent results accomplished hy the
work Of this special committee win endure
only So long ms the memory Of the commit.
tees work Is fresh and rccrudcsrcuce OF
the abuses Is absolutely certain.
Urges Congress to Act.
urge the enactment into law Of pro
visions which will cuabl" the department of
agriculture adequately to Inspect the meat
aud meat food products entering into inter
state commerce and to supervise the meth.
ODDS uf preparing III" same ana To prescribe
the sanitary conditions under which the
work shall be performed. | therefore com
mend To your favorable consideration and
urge the enactment OF substantially the
provisions known rs Senate amendment No
20 TO the act making appropriations for
the department of agriculture for the fiscal
year ending Junc 20, 1907, passed by the
Scuutr. this amendment being commonly
known Ms the Bevrrldgc amendment
tSlguodi THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Tho White House, June /, 1906
Report on Stockyards.
The report Of Messrs. Reynolds ana
Nell enys that two and onc-half weeks
were spent IN the investigation in Chi.
caco. during which I'VE went through the
,rtppiput bupEiup houses in thp utnply