Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1905 — Investigation of the Packers. [ARTICLE]

Investigation of the Packers.

Very general interest has been manifested in the government investigation Bow in progress into the mode of conducting business by the large packers located In Chicago and elsewhere. Much has been written upon the alt leged illegal and improper modes of business procedure connected with the packing industry; but it seems that so far no definite charge of any kind has been sustained and no proof of illegal or inequitable methods has been disclosed to the public. While a wave of severe criticism of this great industrial interest is now passing over the country it might be well to remember that the packers have had as yet no opportunity to make specific denial, the many indefinite charges of wrong-do-ing having never been formulated so that a categorical answer could be made. The recent report of Commissioner Garfield, which embodied the results of an official investigation undertaken by the Department of Commerce and Labor of the United States, was a vindication of the Western packers, but this result having been unexpected attempts in many quarters to discredit it were made. In view of the situation as it now stands, however, attention may properly be called to a few facts that owing to popular clamor are now being apparently overlooked. Fair treatment in this country has heretofore been accorded to all citizens whose affairs assume prominence in the public eye and some of the facts that tfear upon the relation of the packers to the commerce of the country may at this time be briefly alluded to. It would be difficult to estimate the benefits gained by the farmers of the cottntry resulting from the energetic enterprise of the packers, for whatever is of benefit to the farmer is a gain to the entire commerce of the country. And connected with their continuous aggressive work no feature perhaps has been more important than their efforts in seeking outlets all over the world for the surplus products of the farmer. Our total exports of agricultural products have gained but little in the past twenty years, and leaving out corn, the total of all other farm products was far less in 1903 than in 1891. But in packing house products there was considerable gain during this period, because an organized and powerful force has been behind them seeking new and broader markets. Besides the benefits reaped by farmers on account of the enterprise and energy exercised by the packers in attaining commercial results by foreign trade, the great development in the manufacture of packing house by-prod-ucts has added enormously to the value of all live stock raised in the United States. The waste material of twenty years ago, then an expense to the packer, is now converted into articles of great value and. as an economic fact, this must correspondingly increase the value to the farmer of every head of cattle marketed at the numerous stock yards of the country. Let these facts be remembered while now it is so popular to regard the great packing industry as deserving of condemnation. At least it must be admitted that, so far, there is no adequate reason for the almost unanimous howl that may be heard everywhere in the face of the Garfield report above alluded to which practically exonerates the packers from the obscure and indefinite charges that have been for some time past made the subject of popular comment.