Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-06-08

and official investigators from nearly
every civilized country ON earth, who
have made examinations of the man
ner In which the meat packing plants
are conducted, have been entirely sat
| isiied In every instance with the condi'
tions existing In this industry. Dcs'
pite this fact, the packers assert that
| they stand ready 10 adopt any practical
suggestion in the line of Improvement.
The packing companies who affixed
their signatures 10 the statement are;
Armour 4 Co.. Swift 4 Co., Nelson,
Morris 4 Co., G. II. Hammond Co.,
Omaha Packing Co., Libby. Neill 4
/ Libby, and Sehwarzchild, Snlzbcrger
/ q Co. The statement declares that the
packers believe ia aud practise rigid
/ inspection, shOuldering an annual loss
of approximately Sl,000,OOO ON animals
bought as healthy aud condemned on
inspection after slaughter. II says that
every animal bought by them IS in.
spected, both before and after slaugh,
ter IN accordance with the strictest
inspection regulations ever devised IN
any country, not even excepting Ger
many. 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 de-
partmcnt 81 agriculture. II declares
that the administration at Wash.
ugton and the writers Of the Neill.
Reynolds report know these facts.
j. Ogden Armour, ia a Paris interview
Tuesday declared that these "so-called
revelations were directly engineered
by President Roosevelt; and ''that Alr.
Roosevelt has strong personal animus
against the packers of Chicago, and IS
doing and will do everything in his
power to discredit them and their
business. insinuating that political
reasons urged the president S course.
The publication of the report has
caused a great sensation both at home
and abroad and is materially affecting
the demand for the packers products.
Last week the president was said TO
have withheld the commissioners re.
port at the request of delegation of
packers, until after action had been
taken on the Beveridge beef inspection
amendment to the agricultural appro-
priation bill The packers were said
TO be willing to accept its provisions,
though drastic. The senate passed
the bill. with the amendment, but IN
the house. Speaker Cannon, Represen-
tative Lorimer of Chicago, and Chair
man Wadsworth of the committee on
to which the matter
is referred. objected to the Beveridge
as having been rushed
through the senate without discussion
and have prepared a substitute which |
they viii insist upon presenting and
which is said 10 be satisfactory to the
packers The president will insist on
the adoption of the Beveridge amend |
ment in its entirety while the support
ers of the substitute or so-called Wads. |
worth amendment will try to put the /
substitute through the house. 1t is
said that the announcement of the /.
committee of its intention TO prepare
n substitute which should be- fair to /
all concerned, led the president to
submit the report and his message to /
1t will be noted that the /
president urges in strong terms the en-
aetment into law of the lBeveridge 1
as it stands in the bill as II
was sent to the senate.
The substitute prohibits the use Of adul.
terants. preseryatives and ingredients dele.
terious to health, Under TINS provision sait'
petre, which is used IN corhed Oeei ma!
still be used, but not IN quantities injurious
to health. 1t provides that hve stock' meats
and meat products which nave peen CON
demned as unfit for human consumption as
food may pc @nseu ana ,1,r "sgo ta,avr ~ a..
...i1sr e.s' rnr;SaS .ms in tbs Bavsridre bill.
!, r1,ces tho eos, Of inspection. both ante
mortem and post.mortem, upon the govern
ment. It's advocates say there would be no
objection on the part of the packers to the
Reveridge amendment, requiring the pack
,rs 10 nav the cost OF inspection, il II could
be provided that the inspectors employed
,youh be appointed from an eligible list of
the civil service. 1t is said that under the
law tbis cannot be done and that that por
,ion of the Beveridge amendment would
simplv result in filling the packing houses
with men who held positions solely because
n poltical influence The substitute pro-
vidas thar the packers shall have the right
,f apneal TO the secretary of agriculture
from anv decision of the inspectors and can
tban anneal TO the courts from the decision
n the secretary. This would cause great
Ia,,y in the settling of any disputed point, II
,nd while the case was pending the pack
,rs wonId be able 70 secure injunctions from