Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-06-08
FINDINGS OF COMMISSIONERS
/. NELL AND REYNOLDS ARE
SENT TO CONGRESS.
STRONG MESSAGE is ALSO
SENT BY PRESIDENT
Passage Of Rigid Meat Inspection Law
1 Urged - Revolving Conditions in
Chicago Stock Yards Bared-In-
vesagation Not Completed.

Washington, June 5. President
Roosevelt Monday transmitted to con-
gress the first installment OF the re-
Port of Charles P. Neill and James B.
Reynolds, appointed by him to investi-
gate conditions In the Chicago stock
yards.
The report contains sweeping ale
xsIions Of q shocking disregard OF the
airst principles Of cleanliness In Pack
Angtown, but fails to make many OF the
Sensational charges that have been ru-
hnored. In commenting upon the docu-
ment the president says that it reveals
n revolving condition of anairs, but
calls attention to the fact that most
of the allegations Of his commission
ers apply to canned meats, and not to
the dressed product that is the main
staple of the peoples food.
( As an absolutely necessary remedyR
Mr.. Roosevelt recommends the passage
pf the Beveridge amendment provid-
Ang for rigorous government inspec-
fion from hoof to can" The cost OF
The inspection must lie with the pack
ers. says the president, II 1t is to be at
nil effective.
Message Of the President.
The message in part follows:
I The Senate and House of Represent
Rtives: transmit herewith the report
Of Mr.. Jas. B. Reynolds and Commis-
sioner Charles P. Neill. the special
committee whom appointed to in.
nestigate into the conditions in the
stock yards Of Chicago and report
thereon to me. This report is Of q
preliminary nature. submit 1t to
you now because it shows the urgent
need OF immediate action by the con-
Eress in the direction Of providing q
drastic and thoroughgoing inspection
by the federal government OF all stock
yards and packing houses and Of
kheir products, so far as the latter
enter into interstate or foreign COM
merce. The conditions shown by even
fkis short inspection to exist in the
Chicago stock yards are revolving. 1t
s imperatively necessary in the in
terest Of health and Of decency that
they should be radically changed. Un-
Her the existing law 1t is wholly Inn
possible to secure satisfactory results.
Packing Houses Unreasonably Dirty.
The report shows that the stock
yards and packing houses are not kept
even reasonably clean, and that the
method of handling and preparing
eood products Is uncleanly and dam
Eerous to health. Under existing law
The national government has no pow.
er to enforce inspection OF the many
Forms Of prepared meat food products
That are daily going from the packing
houses into Interstate commerce. ow-
Ing to an inadequate appropriation
The department Of agriculture Is not
even able to place inspectors In all
Embellishments desiring them. The
present law prohibits the shipment Of
ltninspeoted meat to foreign countries,
but there is no provision forbidding
khe shipment Of uninspected meats in
Interstate commerce, and thus the ave.
nues Of interstate commerce are left
bpen to traffic in diseased or spoiled
meats. II, as has been alleged on
hesminSly good authority further evils
kxiat, Auch as the improper use Of
hhsnhicals and dyes. the government
Lacks power to remedy them. A law
ls needed which will enable the in
hpectors Of the general government
10 inspect and supervise from the
hoof to the can the preparation Of the
meat food product. The evil seems
10 bs much less in the sale Of dressed
earcasses than in the sale of canned
and other prepared products: and very
much less as regards products sent
kbroad than - regards these used at
home.
i call special attention to the fact
khat this report is preliminary, and
khat the investigation Is still undn-
Dshed. It 10 not yet possible to report
pn ths alleged abuses in the use Of
6elstsft6Hs chemical compounds In
connection With canning and pressrv-
Ing meat products. nor on the alleged
Motoring in this fashion of tainted
meat and Of products sstHrned to the
packers as having grown aasalsble or
nnusabls from age or from other yea-
sons. Grave allegations are made la
reference to abuses of this nature.
Let me repeat that under the pres
eHt law there is practically no method
Uf stopping these abuses II they should
be discovered to exist. Legislation
Do needed In order to prevent the pos
sibility Of all abuses In the future.
II no legislation is passed, then the
excellent results accomplished by the
work Of this special committee will
pndure only 10 long as the memory
nf the committees work is fresh, and
. recrudescence Of the abuses is alb.
solutely certain.
Passage Of Law Urged.
urge the immediate enactment int
law Of provisions which will enable
khe department Of agriculture ade
nuately to inspect the meat and meat
food products entering into interstate
I commerce and to supervise the meth
ods Of preparing the same. and. t.
prescribe the sanitary conditions un,
Her which the work shall be per-
formed. therefore commend to your
favorable consideration and urge the
enactment OF substantially the provi-
picns known as senate amendment No.
p to the act making appropriations
Ror the department OF agriculture for
fhe fiscal year ending June 80. 1907,
hs passed by the senate. this amends
pnent being commonly known as the
Beveridge amendment.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, Juns 4, 1905.
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