The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-05
The Packers Statement.

port, the packers but state the truth
when they say: 1.-THE question raised
as to whether diseased meats are sold
by our packing houses is a question on
which the whole world wants the facts
and the truth must be told.'
This sounds like a promise of some
thing frank and clear on the part Of the
packers, but expectation is quickly dis
appointed in the body of the state
ment. The packers begin and end their
plea with the defense that the animals
slaughtered are first inspected by the
veterinarians of. the agricultural de-.
partment. ttThis,' the packers. de-
clare, els an absolute fact.'' Now, no
one who has read the president s mes
sage and the government report, but
knows that this is only a relative fact.
The inspection before slaughter is adj
mitted, but the Messrs. Neill and Rey-
holds have carefully pointed out that
the killing Of the animal is not the end.
The carcass passes thru many processes
afterwards and over these the govern
ment has no supervision whatever. On
! this point the presidents agents say:
"The radical defect in the present
system of inspection is that i" does not
go far enough, It is confined at pres
ent by law to passing upon the. health
fulness Of the animal at the time of
killing, but the meat that is used in
sausage and in the various forms Of
canned products and other prepared
meat foods goes thru many processes,
IN all of which there is possibility Of
contamination thru unsanitary handling
and further danger thru the use of
chemicals. During all Of these processes
there is no government inspection and
no assurance whatever that these meat
food products are wholesome and TT for
food -
Despite these facts, the commission.
ers go on to say, the packers label their
canned goods in such a way as to con:
vey the impression that the govern
ment had placed its, stamp of approval
on every process.
It is rather discouraging to argue
with men who begin as the packers do
with an evasion-a half truth which il
practically whole lie. Their unsatis
factory attitude is further emphasized
by their falling back upon the ples
that the meat industry is being threat
ened, that the president has ignored
the square deal. OF course the squar,
deal has it's. rightful place in this dis
cussion, as in every, other The presi
dent did not ignore it, but he Sfount
the question to be whether he shout,
hush up this matter and save the pack
ers' pockets, or. should publish it an,
save the peoples health On thi
phase Of the square deal the presiden
can well afford to rest on the record.
n The pertinent part Of the packers
n statement is that they favor inspet
a ,tion. If this is true, why do they no
e go to Washington andsdemand inspe,
9 ton instead Of flooding Washingto
y with kilograms against Inspections ]
Q they are for inspection they must
e for inspection that inspects. There, :
d only one bill before congress that pr,
a :vides for that. It is the Beveride
J. bill. The Wadsworth bill merely pr
s. }vides that the secretary Of agricultu1
n may, in his discretion, inspect tt
G. civilized world is not satisfied to lea,
1t this to any one IS discretion. It wan
q it done, and will not be satisfied unit
G it Is done.