Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-07-12
ARE SLOW TO REFORM
SECRETARY WILSON DIsSATIS-
FLED WITH MEAT MEN.
oRUDGIN0 SPIRIT is SHOWN
Cabinet Official Says It Looks as If
Owners of Abattoirs Want An
other Clash with the Gov
eminent

Chicago.-Another clash is immi-
nent between President Roosevelt
and the Chicago packers.
This came TO light Sunday when
Secretary Wilson OF the department
of agriculture, having established him
self at the Auditorium with the staff
of experts whom he has brought here
TO revise the meat inspection bureau,
gave out an interview in which he
expressed in measured terms his dis
appointment at the grudging spirit in
which. he said, the Chicago packers
are meeting the demand for reform.
He went further, and questioned the
sincerity of their declaration that they
wanted government inspection. He
said dryly that 1t looked to him as if
they wanted another fight" and then
he let it be known, by the faintest
launching up of his broad shoulders,
that the government was ready to
give them one rather than accept any
hallway measures in the amelioration
of conditions surrounding the meat
industry.
Indirectly the report of the Manu-
facturers association is responsible
for the situation. Ever since its pub
LEGATION Saturday morning the secre-
tary and his department heads have
been making a close study of it. line
by line. They found il anything but q
"whitewash' They expected TO dis
cover evidence that these plants were
being made the equal of the abattors
abroad. They found apparently. petty
economy instead.
1T seems to me that the packers of
Chicago have not yet learned their
lesson" said the secretary, speaking
slowly, TO allow the pencil TO keep
pace. This report of the experts re-
tanned by the Illinois Manufacturers
association and the Chicago CONNER
cial association is eloquent of their
evasions. 1t seems TO us that the pack
ers have had ample time, if they were
so disposed. TO launch much greater
improvements, for instance. in the
sanitary conditions of their plants
Here in this report we find men
tion made of toilet rooms ventilating
into the worllrooms. That will never
do. The sanitary Improvement of
those plants must be on broad eff
fective scale, if the United States is
to permit the use of its guarantee
label.
Apparently some of them are try
ing to economize in defiance of the
demands of congress that they bring
their plants up to modern standards.
Such a policy is mistake repeat 1t,
it is a mistake-and can only result in
the undoing of the halfway measures.
That is an expensive method in
the long run. 1t will do the packers
no good to get their backs up. Con-
gress has given the department power
to insist upon wholesome conditions.
That power, | have every reason to
believe, will be exercised"
There will be no controversy be-
tween the government and the pack
ers" went on the secretary. THAT
won't be necessary. In the event that
they object to our close inspection of
their canned products. for instance,
there will be no label forthcoming.
That is all there is to It,
Il want to emphasize finally the fact
that under the new law there will be
a much more adequate inspection. AT
present our men do not leave the kill
ing floor. In the future they will
watch the meat through the dressing
and canning processes. We expect to
make rigid requirements to conform
with the best standards in the world. "