The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-06

Tho frrIv uf Tho eiaht mrE'st IH'H'TN
In Chi,asp Nv tho Soil Reynolds report
Joins iaaur apuarcly with iia most mate
fInl ror,luaipna tpt tho truth IN Told
hv all means for tho general good, which
includes tho welfare NJ tho cattle and
mca, industries NJ well NJ Tho interests
NJ consumers but II would h. n grlovo,ia
injury to nll concerned 10 accept r pdrto
toatimnnyR ~ demonstrated fact only he-
cause II IL contained In m oiIicinl report
on packing house conditions which WA
prepared nv the Chief Of th" Bureau of
Labor and n settlement worker,
on tho question whether tho inspection
mnIo il a safeguard TO consumers, tho
Investigators and the packers arc NJ
odds. IT IA confined at present by
law" SAYS the Neill- Reynolds report,
ito passing on the healthfulness OF ami
mails ut the time NJ killing" Concern
Ing tho meat that goes through many
processes before il IL put up in cans,
there IL no Government inspection and
no assurance whatever" il is asserted,
"thnt these meat food products ere
wholesome and fit for f~ood-desIite
the fact that all these products when
sent out bear a label stating they have
been passed upon by Government in
s]pectors.7 The packers do not traverse
the statement that the meats put up in
cans are not inspected by Government
officers as meats, but they aver that
every animal bought by them sis IN
spected, both before and after slaughter,
in accordance with the strictest inspec-
ton regulations ever devised in any
country, noteven excepting Germany"
If the inspection required by law is
duly made, and if the permissive inspec-
ton after slaughter is carefully and
~conscientiously made" as the report
admits, the question, then, which con-
sumers will want answered is, whether
sthese meat products are wholesome
and fit for food"
In their defence the packers say:
sour packing houses are kept clean
Our methods of manufacture are SAM
tarv. Our products are wholesome
The investigators had charged that the
packing houses were not clean, and
that the methods of manufacture they
observed were u%nsanitary, and by infer
enCe the products were not wholesome.
But they seem to have been willing in
some instances to assume the very
worst, trusting to their imagination
rather than to what the law calls real
evidence" They saw piles of sausages
on a table with dry, mouldy canned
meats admittedly several years DID,
but would not credit the statement of a
superintendent that the stuff was to be
"tanked and converted into grease"
The investigators preferred to believe 1t
would be worked over for recanned food.
Is this the language of scientific inquiry:
at might all be treated with chemicals,
mixed with other meats, turned out in
any form Of meat product desired, with
a Government label on it. The conscien-
tious investigators add, however, that
they do not allege that such use was to
be made of this stuff" But the insinua-
ton has already done its deadly work.
The packers say there has never been
any secret about their methods of manu-
facture. Their establishments have been
show places for the world, and there
are no closed doors" They have well
coined scientific men, and satisfied the
representatives of foreign war depart
ments that their processes were not
unhealthful, that their canned meats
were not unwholesome. Among those
representatives were Japanese experts,
and as a result of their visit large orders
were placed before and during the war
with Russia. The packers submit a
report recently made by DR.. j. t. BUR-
RII.L, chief of the department of bacte-
riology in the University of Illinois and
DR.. D. G.. GRINDLEY, professor of chem
istry in the State University, who say in
part, while admitting that the slaughter
ing and handling of meat cannot be done
with kid gloves:
Our observations make 1t impossible for us TO
believe the horrible stories recently appearing in
print or that anything approaching the described
conditions in this Industry really exists. 1t was
apparent to us that the work OF the Government
INSPECTORS was done in strict accordance with the
regulations issued by the Bureau Of Animal In
dustry. The condemned carcasses or parts Of
carcasScs are followed by these officials, notwith-
standing statements to the contrary, u the render
ing tanks. and these tanks are sealed and unSoalod
In their presence, and only In heir presence"
These packers do not contend that
their plants and workrooms could not
be improved, They say, 1--WE have
steadily and persistently endeavored
to improve our methods" and when
they threw open their doors to the Chief
Of the Labor Bureau and the settlement
worker and the sociologist they sup
uosed the object of the v~iaitors who
came oT'rially was TO suggest improve
ments. They had eve promised to
carry out any improvements that the
Presidents representatives might think
necessary. in every new building
the packers say, "the use Of wood and
other pervious material is eliminated as
far as possible" Here again they come
into conflict with the investigators.
But it is to be noted that the packers
do not oppose the extension of manda-