New-York tribune., 1906-06-05
QUALITY GUARANTEED.


The phraseology Of these labels is wholly un-
warranted The government inspectors pass
only upon the healthfulness of the animal at the
time of killing They know nothing OF the proc
esses through which the meat has passed since
this inspection. They do not know what else
may have been placed in the cans i'm addition to
inspected meat AS a matter of fact, they
know nothing about the contents" of the can
upon which the packers place these labels-do
not even know that it contains what it purports
10 contain The legend Quality guaranteed"
Immediately following the statement to gov
ernment inspection is wholly unjustifable. II
deceives and is plainly designed to deceive the
average purchaser. who naturally infers from
the label that the government guarantees the
contents OF the can 10 be what ii purpOrts To be.
In another establishment piles of sausages and
drY mouldy canned meats. admittedly several
years old, were found. which the superintendent
stated Ia us would be tanked and converted into
grease The disposition to be made of this
wholly optional with the superintendents or rep
resentatives OF the packers the government
does not concern itself with the disposition OF
meats after they have passed inspection on the
killing floor. 1t might all he treated with chem
ieals mixed with other meats turned out in any
form OF meat product desired, and yet the pack
ages or receptacles I'm which IL be shipped
out TO the public would be marked with a label
that their contents had been government in
spected.' II is not alleged here that such use
was 10 be made OF this stuff The case is
pointed out as one showing the glaring Opportu-
nifty for the misuse of a label bearing the name
ana the implied guarantee of the United States
government
Another instance Of abuse in the use of the
labels came TO our notice. In two different
adjustments great stocks of old canned goods
were being put through n washing process to
remove the old labels They were then sub
jected TO sufficient heat 10 'liven up the con
tents-to the phrase OF the room superin-
tendent After this. fresh labels, with the gov
ernment name them. were to be placed upon
the cans and they were to be sent out bearing
all the evidence of being freshly put up prod
net. In one Of these instances, by the adms-
sion of the superintendent. the stock thus being
re-labeiled over two years old. In the other
case the superintendent evaded statement of
how old tl.e goods were.
V-TREkTMENT OF EMPLOYEES
The lack Of consideration for the health and
yards seems to he direct consequence of the
system of administration that prevails The
various departments are under the direct con-
trol of superintendents who claim 10 use full
authority in dealing with the employees and who
seem to ignore all considerations except those
OF the account book Under this system Droper
care OF the products and Of the health ana COM
Tort or the emplayes Is impossible. and the con-
! suner suffers in consequence. The insanitary
conditions in which the laborers work and the
/ feNeTish pace which they are forced 10 maintain
inevitably affect their health Physicians state
that tuberculosis is disproportionately prevalent
! IN the stock yards. and the victims OF this dis
ease eNpectorate on the spongy wooden floors of
I the dark workroons. from which falling scra us
I into food products
Even the ordinary decencies OF life are COM
3 pieieiy ignored. I'm practically all cases the
doors of the toilet rooms open directly into,the
I WORKING rooms, the priyies OF men and vomer
frequently ad1oin, and the entrances are some.
( uInes ho more than a foot or f,yo apart IL
other cases there are no privies for N,orren =,
the rooms in which they work aud 10 react
ire nearest u Is necessary TO 30 up or down Z
couple OF nights OF stairs. In one noticeable In
stance tue privy for the woIuen wording iu sex
eiai adJonls rooms was IN a room In vhicl
men chiefly were employed. and every girl goins
!" oS1 ''''s mac u pass by the working plac4,