The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-06-04

ON STOCK
YARDS
tBy Associated Press. ]

ANlt AeoPSNAAAs 1thftl sp144N q aECNAoi
message to Congress concerning the
conditions Of the stock yards at
Chicago, accompanying it with the
report Of the investigating commit
tee. The message is as follows,
"'To the Senate and House of Rep
resentatiyes -
4 transmit herewith the report
of Mr.. james Bronson Reynolds and
Commissioners Charles P. Neill tie
special committee whom I-appoint-
ed to investigate into the conditions
in the stock yards of Chicago and
report thereon to me- This report
is of a preliminary nature. / sub
nit it to you now because it shows
the urgent need of immediate action
by the Congress in the direction of
providing a drastic and thorough
going inspection by the Federal
Government Of all stock yards and
packing houses and their products.
so far as the latter enter into inter-
state or foreign commerce. The
conditions shown by even this short
inspection to exist in Chicago stock
Yards are revolving. 1t is impera-
lively necessary in the interest Of
health and of decepcy that they
should be radically changed. I'm
der the existing law it is wholly i'm
possible to secure satisfactory re-
suits.
fWhen my attention was first di-
rected to this matter an investiga-
ton was made under the Bureau Of
Animal Industry of the Department
of Agriculture. When the prelim-
mary statements of this inyestiga-
ton were brought to my attention
they showed such defects in the law
and such wholly unexpected condi-
tions that I deemed it best-to have
a further immediate Investigation
by men not connected with the Bu-
reau. and accordingly appointed
Messrs. REYNOLDS and Neill. IT
was impossible under the existing
law that satisfactory work should be
done BY the Bureau Of Animal In
dustry. ] am now. however, exam.
ming the way in which the work
actually was done.
''Before I had received the report
of Messrs. REYNOLDS and Neill / had
directed that labels placed upon any
package Of meat food products
should state only that the carcass Of
the animal from which the meat was
taken had been inspected at the
time of slaughter. If inspection Of
meat food products at all stages Of
preparation is NOT secnred by the
passage of the legislation recon-
mended / shall feel compelled to or
der that inspection labels and certi-
iicates on canned products shall not
be used hereafter.
'EThc report shows that the stock
wards and packing houses are moi
kept even reasonably clean, and that
the methods of handling and pre-
paring food products is unclranly
and dangerous TO health. Under
existing law the National Govern.
ment has no, power to enforce In
speetion of the many forms Of prs-
pared meat food products that arc
daily going from the packing houses
into interstate commerce. OWING
TO an inadequate appropriation thc
Department. Of Agriculture is no
even able to place inspectors in al
establishments desiring them. Th,
present law prohibits the shipment
of uninspected meat to foreign
countries, but there is no provision
forbidding the shipment Of unin
spected meats in interstate com
merce, and thus the avenues of in
terstate commerce are left open t.
traffic in diseased or spoiled meats
If, as has been alleged on seeming
ly good authority further evils exist
such as the improper 1lse Of chem
icals and dyes, the Government lack,
power to remedy them. A law j
needed which will enable the in
spectors of the General Governmen
to inspct and supervise from tn
hoof to the can the preparation Q
the meat food product. The eyi
seems much less in the sale of dress
ed carcasses than in the sale o
canned and other prepared products
and very much less as regards pro
ducts sent abroad than those use,
at home.
"ln my judgment the expense o
the inspection should be paid by
fee levied on each animal slaughter
ed. IF this is not done, the Who'll
purpose Of the law can at any tim
be defeated through an insuficien
appropriation: and whenever ther
was no uarticlllar nfibIie interest /