Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-06-08
METHODS OF
THE PACKERS
President Roosevelt Sends to the Sen.
ate a Rather Startling Report by
Special Investigators.
Recommendation for Thorough Inspec.
ton Of the Food Products Made
by the President.


message was transmitted to congress
today from the White house and read
in both houses:
ITO the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives: | transmit herewith the
report of James Bronson Reynolds and
Commissioner Charles p. Neill. the
special committee whom | appointed
to investigate the conditions in thu
stockyards of Chicago, and repor;
thereon to me. This report is of a
preliminary nature. | submit it to you
now because it shows the urgent need
of immediate action by congress in the
direction of providing a drastic and
thorough going inspection by the feder
al government of all stockyards and
packing houses and of their products
state OF foreign commerce. The condi
lions shown by even this short inspec
zion to exist in the Chicago stockyards
are revolving. 1t is imperatively nee
essary, in the interest of decency, that
they should be radically changed I'm
der the existing law it is wholly I'M
possible to secure satisfactory results.
Bureau Ineffective.
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 state
ments of this investigation were
brought to my attention they showed
such defects in the law and such Who'll
ly unexpected conditions that | deem
ed it best to have further and imme
diate investigation by men not con
nected with the bureau, and according
ly appointed Messrs. Reynolds ant
Neil. 1t was impossible under the eX
listing law that satisfactory WOrl
/ should be done by the bureau of ami
NAL industry. | am now. however
examining the way in which the worl
actually was done.
Before | had received the report o
\ Messrs Reynolds and Neill had di
lected that labels placed upon an
package of meat food products shout
NAL from which the meat was take
had been inspected at the time c
slaughter. If inspection of meat foo
products at all stages of preparatio
is not secured by the passage of tn
legislation recommended | shall fee
compelled to order that inspection |;
bells and certificates on canned pr'
ducts shall not be used hereafter.
Stock Yards Not Clean.
The report shows that the stocEyard
and packing houses are not kept eve
reasonably clean. and that the metho
of handling and preparing food pre-
ducts is uncleanly and dangerous t
health. Under existing law the n
tional government has no power to en-
force inspection OF the many form
are daily going from the packin
houses into interstate commerce. OW
ing to an inadequate appropriation tn
department of agriculture is not eve
able. ii place inspectors in all establish
ments desiring that.
The present law prohibits the shil
ment of uninspected meat to foreig
countries. but there is no provision To-
bidding the shipment of uninspecte
meats in interstate commerce, and thu
! the avenues of interstate cOmmerc
are left open to traffic in diseased {
spoiled meats.
IF, as has been alleged on seemin
ly good authority, further evils exis
such as the improper use of chemica
or dyes, the government lacks pow,
to remedy them. A law is needt
) which will enable the inspectors of tt
general government to inspect and 5
pervise from the hoof to the can Il
preparation of meat food products. tt
evil seems to be much less in the sd
of dressed carcasses than in the sa
of canned and other prepared pl
ducts.
Should Tax Packers.