The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-05
PACKERS DENY ALL.
Packers Say Plants Are Sanitary and
Products Wholesome.


packing Adjustments in Chicago
have issued a statement replying to the
charges made in the Neill- Reynolds
report of the investigation of the pack
ing plants, and President RooSeVelt's
message TO congress The packers de-
clare that their plants are clean; their
methods OF manufacture SatSfa Glory;
their products wholesome, and that for
years doctors, chemists, santtarians
and official investigators from prac-
ucaliy every civilized nation who have
made examinations of the meat pack
ing plants have been satisfied in every
instance with the conditions existing
In this industry. Despite this, the
packers assert that they stand ready
to adopt any practical suggestion for
improvement. The companies which
signed the statement are Armour &
Co, Swift & Co. Nelson Morris & Co.,
G. H. Hammond company, Omaha
Packing company, Anglo-American
Libby. Schwarzschild. Sulzberger &
Co.
The statement follows:
And the President Knows 1t.
s'The question raised as to whether
diseased meats are sold by our pack
ing houses is one on which the whole
world wants the facts. and the truth
must be told if the meat and live stock
industry is to have a Square deal This
ever. is absolutely ignored in President
Roosevelt's message, and all but
omitted from notice in the Neill-Rey-
nolds report
Every pound of meat in our pack
ing houses comes from animals which
are inspected and passed by trained
veterinary agents of the department
of agriculture. This is the absolute
fact We are not interested in ami
mails condemned before slaughter
In I
bought by us is Inspected both before
and after slaughter, in connection
with the strictest inspection. Every
animal or carcass that does not pass
this rigid inspection is condemned
and disposed of under the personal
supervision of the agents of the United
States.
THE administration at Washington
knows these facts. The writers of the
Neill-Re reynolds report know them.
That these are facts is reluctantly adj
mitted in their report, but even this
slight reinsurance to the public is al
most buried in the tail end of what
they have written.
I've have been believers in rigid
animal and meat inspection since the
inspection was first inaugurated we
have shown belief in it by shoulder
ing an annual loss of approximately
$1,000, 0O0-our loss on animals which
are bought as healthy and condemned
on inspection after slaughter. And
now, in spite of persistent rnisrepre-
sentation. we are heartily in favor of
making this inspection more efficient
If that can be done, and of extending
operation of the law to cover the san
itary conditions of packing houses.
1T is to be regretted that Messrs.
NELL and Reynolds did not get a prac-
teal light on their subject before writ
Ing report in which it is apparently
assumed that blood, grease and the ev-
cry day incidents of animal slaughter
are dirt"
Continuing. the packers say:
In the light of what we are doing,
we have right, we believe, to protect !
against hasty and empirical judgments
that serve only to put weapons into the
hands of foreign competitors OF the
American live stock and meat produc-
ing industry This phase of the ques-
ton cannot be evaded. At the risk of
being accused of trying to hide behind
the farmer, we say that hasty, i'll /
digested, Incorporate criticism of Amer /
lean packing houses, strikes not at the
packer but at every farmer who raises /
a hog. sheep or steer for market. With |
out the foreign market created by the /
packing industry the American live |
stock growers business would be abso-
lutely stripped of profit.
When investigation by Messrs. Neill /
and Reynolds was undertaken. we as
sumed that its purpose was to forward /
Improvement in packing conditions. If |
Improvements could be devised, rather |
than to gather ammunition for an at !
tack on the live stock and meat DFo6uc- |
ing industry. Acting upon this belief, |
we invited from these Investigators and /
from President Roosevelt any practical /
suggestions they could make for the |
Improvement of packing house condi- /
tons and at the same time We guaran- |
teed that their suggestions would be
carried out.
we know our methods are good: but /
we stand ready to adopt any practical /
suggestion in the line of Improvement |
We do. however. most emphatically dis
sent from the opinion that the way to |
better the publie's food supply Is to
attack the source of production that Is |