Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-12
READY For INSPECTION.

come and see what nice clean
places we have and how untrue are the
many mean things that have been said
about us" Is practically the substance
OF an Invitation extended by the pack
Ing companies to everybody in the
United States to visit and inspect their
plants In big display type they de-
clare that in view of the many highly
colored, sensational and untruthful re-
ports regarding the Chicago packing
industry which have been published
throughout the world, they believe that
the best and surest way to satisfy the
general public as to the purity and
wholesomeness of their products and
the cleanliness and sanitary condition
OF their plants is to invite the people
to make personal inspection. eve
have always followed this open door
policy they say, "and our plants have
always been open to visitors, but to
make this policy absolutely clear we
herewith extend a special invitation. :"
This certainly seems like fair prop
osition: Seeing is believing and they
offer the people an opportunity for
judging for themselves as to whether
the charges that filthy and unsanitary
conditions prevail are true. However,
there is nothing to prove that the con-
ditions now are the same that existed
at the time the Neill-Reynolds report
was made to the President. The pack
ers have had ample time to "clean
house" Strong language is used in
the report of Messrs Neill and Reyn-
olds and the conditions described are
not pleasant to contemplate. 1t may
be true, as the representative of the
packers declared before the committee
in Washington, that the two gentlemen
who spent most of their time in re-
search and investigation were unused
to such sights as are seen around a
packing plant and were easily offend
ed. But it may be that the packers
have become SO accustomed to the
conditions that the dirt and filth do not
attract their attention. The report of
Neill and Reynolds, however, is con-
f1rmed by the report of the committee
appointed by the department of agri-
culture, which was submitted by Presi-
dent Roosevelt yesterday and he called
attention to the fact that there was
no conflict in the two reports. 1t is
hardly probable that the experts from
the department of agriculture and
Messrs. Neill and Reynolds, after a
careful investigation, have all been
mistaken and exaggerated conditions.
One portion of the Presidents letter is
especially significant. He says that he
has received letter from compe-
tent and trustworthy witness in Chica-
go who says that the packers have
manifested an almost humorous haste
to clean up, providing new toilet
rooms with additional dressing rooms
and clean towels. 1.-THE haste toward
REFORM" this witness says, would ap-
pear amusing if it were not SO nearly
tragic" From this it would appear
that the packers have made someprep-
aration before issuing their invitation
to the world and denouncing the
charges against them as untrue.
It IS plain that even if the govern
ment officials: have been misled in
some particulars the conditions are
enough to render prompt action by
congress imperative. The country
LHants legislation that will cure the
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