rHE O'NEILL FRONTIER
D. CRONIN. Publisher.
yNEILL, NEWR^SKA
tm1, .
A London scientist says that Ufa In a
metropolis makes young children sharp
but not clever; that it often destroys
their chance of ever being clever, far
It hastens the development of the brain
unnaturally; it makes them superficial,
alert, but not observant; excitable, but
Without one spark of enthusiasm; they
are apt to grow blase, fickle, discon
tented; they see more things than tha
country*bred child, but not such inter
esting things; they do not properly see
any tiling, for they have neither the
time nor capacity to get at the root of
all the bewildering objects that crowd
themselves into their little lives.
Two allegorical palntlngB by Paul Ve
ronese have Just been dtacoveerd In Por
tugal, belonging to the O'Neil family
the descendants of the celebrated
Scotch clan. These two painting*. La
Bagasse," companion of "Hercules,
and "Paul Veronese." between "Le vice
et la Vertu,” are of the same kind aa
four works belonging to the National
gallery. They were part of the collec
tion of the Regent Philip of Orleans,
and had passed into the hands of King
Gustave-Adolphe, who took them In
1631 from the duke of Prague,
E. Walter Maunder, F. R. A. 8., stated
at a meeting of the British Astronomi
cal association that there were no few
er than twelve instances last year when
groups of spots were seen on the sun
with the naked eye. March 21, this
year, was the first day on which he saw
the sun’s disc with anything approach
ing the display of sun spots seen In Oc
tober and November last year. The
groups this time were not as compact
as the chief groups of 1905, but they
extended over considerable areas.
Persons not hardy enough to risk the
rigors of Alpine climbing are now en
abled to mount to the summit of the
Hammet-Schwend mountain, 3,600 feet
above sea level, by the longest eleva
tor In the world, an elevator 600 feet
high. The elevator is located not far
from Lucerne, where is a grotto in
which the elevator shaft is hidden. It
Is operated by electricity. The cage Is
twelve feet square, and only seven pas
sengers are carried each trip. The as
cent is made in three minutes.
A Madonna by Jacopo Bellini has
recently been acquired by the Ufflzl
gallery in Florence. This picture,
which Is in perfect preservation, is ono
of the six works known to be by this
artist. It comes from Lucca, but noth
ing is known as to Its history. The
work is of especial interest as imme
diately preceding the work of three
more famous artists, Gentile and Gio
vanni Bellini, the sons of the artist, and
Mantegna, his son-in-law.
The Herole 1* the name of a new
steamship belonging to the Belfast
Steamship company. She will ply be
tween Belfast and English ports. She
Is an Irish built boat, an Irish firm hav
ing designed and constructed her, Irish
capital being used to pay for her, and
■he is manned only by Irishmen. It is
the object of her owners to foster Irish
tourist traffic, and also the Irish fish
produce business.
Bread and butter Is the food for mus
cular work, according to an English
physician. The perfect diet for those
Who are faddists is announced as eight
ounces of cooked meat, twenty-four
ounces of bread, eight ounces of pota
toes, two ounces of cheeBe, two ounces
of bacon, one ounce of butter and half
a pint of milk a day. Green fruits are
desirable additions to any diet.
The number of converts and monas
teries In Belgium, and especially at
Bruges, has Increased with wonderful
rapidity. In 1846 there were 779 such
Institutions in the country with a mem
bership of 12,000 men and women. In
1900 there were 2,500 institutions with
a membership of 38,000. Practically
one-third of the buildings in Bruges be
long to religious societies.
Sir William Macgregor, governor of
Newfoundland, Is one of the most re
markable men of the British colonial
service, both physically and Intellec
tually; and, Indeed, his herculean
strength has contributed In no small
degree to imprcBS the savages over
whom he has been called upon to rule
In the past with a sense of power of
the British emperor. _
No business Is so well supplied with
trade journals as that of Insurance,
there being seventy-flve of these week
lies In the country, It 1b said. They
depend largely on the advertising of the
companies, and the withdrawal of much
of the patronage of the three big lift
companies of New York as a result ol
the Investigation Is causing them some
trouble.
An Interesting collection of caricat
ures by Enrico Caruso, the famous
Italian tenor, are on exhibition In New
York. The collection comprises a series
of studies In caricature of the various
members of the Bt&ff of the Metropoli
tan Opera company. Several of these
autograph drawings will be used In
Caruso’s book, which Is shortly to ap
pear. _ ^ _
The statement made recently before
the London Psycho-Therapeutic so
ciety as to X-rays which threw the
Shadow tube upon a screen as long as
the animal was alive, the shadow pass
ing away and the animal becoming
transparent when death came, turns
L' out to be a hoax. The lecturer had
i been duped._
Lumber Is becoming so scarce and
coetly that matches are now being
made of paper, rolled spirally, and dip
ped In wax or stearlne, which prevents
unrolling and gives rigidity. The roll
la cut Into lengths, which are then
dipped In the phosphorus composition.
Paper matches are said to burn well.
From Sumatra, the Rhenish mission
ary society reports a year of harvest
| ouch as It has never before seen. The
11 number of pagans baptized during the
|f' ■"ear was 4,712. besides 136 Mohamme
dans. The total of Christians Is now
•1,764. In 307 schools 14,619 boys and
girls are under Instruction.
A thimble, which cost 175,000, was re
cently presented by the king of Slam
to his wife. It Is of gold, thickly stud
ded with gems, so arranged as to form
the queen's name and the date of her
marriage, the whole representing a half
onenril tnt"s flower—the emblem of the
royal family. __
In the midst of an electric storm the
Varlette fire whistle called out the men
who rushed about In the rain till the
apparatus was drenched before It wad
discovered that lightning had played a
prank on the department. There is an
ordinance against turning In a false
alarm. __
A queen of ancient Egypt wore over
the light blue head covering fashionable
for her sex an elaborate headdress In
place of a crown. This was made In
the form of some symbolic animal, or
eloe It bore a symbol—a bird, the heads
of serpents or the horns of oxen.
SERENADE THE VICTORS
Band and Citizens of Teeumseh Give
Ovation to Lawyers.
Teeumseh, Neb., June 5.—The citizens
of Teeumseh and the Teeumseh mili
tary band serenaded J. S. Jones and
C. H. Dennis at the former's hotel here
yesterday afternoon, as a tribute to
their actions in the A. Staples Cody
damage case, which has Just been fin
ished in Omaha and in which Mr.
Jones an.l Mr. Dennis were the victor
ious defendants. The former addressed
the crowd for a few moments in an
interesting manner and was heartily
applauded. A period of handshaking
and congratulations then followed.
FISH MORE PROFITABLE.
Nebraska Ranchman Will Raise Fish
Instead of Stock.
Norfolk, Neb., June 5.—F. J. Hale
was In the city yesterday from his
ranch near Atkinson. Mr. Hale Is go
ing to raise fish for market on a large
scale. There are several large springs
on his ranch and below these he will
construct dams and stock them. He
has nov. a pond covering seven acres
and Is oulldlng another to cover five
acres. From private parties he has pur
chased a large number of young fish,
crapples, channel cat, buffalo and chubs
for his seven acre pond. Another will
be Btocked with bass and pickerel with
chubs for food. Once each week, on
killing days, he sends a team to the
butchers in town and secures (he livers
and stomachs, with their contents, the
partly digested foods he feeds to the
young fish and the meaty part Is chop
ped up for the large ones. Besides this
he feeds corn and chopped vegetables.
He claims that there is as much profit
In raising fish as stock, that they will
respond as well to food and care and
always find a steady market at good
prices. A channel cat of two pounds
can be grown In a year, buffalo grow
more rapidly and are good winter fish.
LAD LOCKED IN BOXCAR.
Randolph Boy Takes Ride of His Life
to Minnesota Town.
Wlllmar, Minn., June 5.—A lad of 15
years of age, giving his name as Geo.
HarriBon, was found here In a car
filled with corn that was billed for
Minneapolis. He usserted that he had
been an occupant of the car from early
Monday morning until Wednesday aft
ernoon at 5 o’clock, at which time he
was discovered by a member of the
state grain Inspection force stationed
at this point.
The car had been locked and sealed
at Randolph, Neb., the boy’s home,
while he was Inside, and he had spent
three days and two nights on the way
to Wlllmar without food and water. It
was loaded to its full capacity, and
the boy was unable to attract any at
tention for a rescue from his perilous
position. He showed the effects of his
long confinement, and was Immediately
given a square meal at a hotel.
The boy says he was helping his
stepfather, who Is an elevator agent,
load the car, and that he was acci
dentally locked In it. Before his cries
for help could be heard the car had
been sent on to Its destination. He
says that he has not received the best
of treatment from his stepfather, and
consequently Is not anxious to return
home. An uncle lived on a farm near
Wlndom, and he wishes to go there or
secure employment here. His own fa
ther, he says, is a blacksmith by the
name of Kenny, who lives in Sioux
Falls.
The railroad officials are Investigat
ing the case.
WEST POINT MERCHANT FAILS.
Crsditors Meet and Arrange Satisfac
tory Ssttlsment of Affairs.
West Point, Neb., June 1.—August
Klelne, one of the oldest and best
known merchants of West Point, has
closed out His business here. A meet
ing of his creditors was held and mat
ters were amicably arranged without
resort to legal procedure. His entire
assets were turned over to his cred
itors In full settlement of all claims.
William Stauefer, of the West Point
National bank, and C. May, of Fremont,
are acting as trustees and will dispose
of the stock at once.
CIRCUS SPOILED THE DAY.
Nellgh, Neb., June 1.—All the sacred
ness which the law Intends should be
thrown around Decoration day was
cast to the four winds here by the
presence of a circus. From early day
light till night the air was rent with
noise and confusion and the faithful,
-who with bowed heads and sad hearts
inarched to the cemetery on Laurel
•hill to pay their respects to their be
loved dead, did so with the feeling that
their day which the law has set apart
was being sadly desecrated.
TEARS FOR A PATRIOT.
Dublin Gives Sincere Evidence of Ire
land’s Sorrow Over Davitt’e
Death.
Dublin, June 2.—The love and respect
In which Michael Davltt wus held In
Ireland, and the widespread sorrow
over his death, were amply evidenced
by the scenes In the streets here to
day when hts body was removed from
the Clarendon street chapel, where It
had lain over night, to the BroacMone
station for conveyance to the graveyard
at St rude. County Mayo.
Business establishments closed theii
shutters and shades were drawn In pri
vate houses. The streets were lined
with enormous crowds. The funeral
cortege was exceptionally large and In
cluded many nationalist members ol
the house of commons and clergymen,
representatives of every religion and
political crowds. John Redmond, Johr
Dillon and other members of the Irish
nationalist party were among the
mourners.
MARTYR TO SCIENCE.
Dr. Weigel Dies as Result of Experi
ments With X-Ray.
Rochester, N. Y., June 2.—-Dr. Louis A
Weigel, the first American authority onth«
Roentgen rays, died at his home in thii
city as the direct result of his experi
mental work in that connection. Dr. Wei
gel was president of the American Ortho
paedic society and president of the Ro
chester Academy of Medicine. He wa;
among the first to realize the possibilitlei
of the Roentgen ray, and did much exper
imental work with it. In October, 1904, i
became necessary to remove his riglv
hand and three lingers of his left hanc
which had become covered with a cancer
ous growth. A few months later he was
again put under the knife and his lef
cheat muscles were removed. Dour mor«
operations were performed before he fin
ally succumbed.
NEW YORK BANK STATEMENT.
New York. June 2.—The bank statement
shows that banks hold $(1,81(1,000 over legal
reserve requirements. The statement fox
the week is as follows;
Loans increased.$2.152.001,
Deposits increased . 4,019,<<K
Circulation decreased . 9t>.00C
Legal tenders decreased." 998,OOC
I Specie increased . 2,12j,OoC
Reserve increase. 1,12;,00C
» Surplus Increased. 122,00C
Ex-U. S. deposits decreased. no.toC
SENATOR GORMAN OF
MARYLAND IS DEAD
One of the Most Conspicuous
Democrats of the Coun
try Passes Away.
HAD BEEN ILL LONG TIME
Leaves Wife and Six Children—His
Political Career One of Power—
He Broke With
Cleveland.
Was' ngton, June 6.—Senator Ar
thur P. Gorman died about 9:30 o'clock.
The end came suddenly as the senator
had been Improving lately. Heart
trouble was cause of his demise.
Senator Gorman's Illness extended
over a period of five months. He had
not left his house since January 16. He
suffered in addition to his heart af
fection with more or less stomach trou
ble. The senator leaves a widow and
six children.
Senator Gorman had been a notable
figure in national congress.
He first took his seat In 1881. serving
continuously for eighteen years, and
nearly all that time he was a leader of
his party in the senate.
Winning an early reputation for sa
gacity and keenest Judgment in con
gressional affairs, he attained prom
inence, not only as a leader In the sen
ate but in the country at large, and by
many men was considered the most
available man In his party for the presi
dency.
He was the chairman of the executive
committee which managed the cam
paign that resulted in the election of
Grover Cleveland in 1884. The most
notable contest of his congressional ca
reer and one which attracted to him
wider attention than anything else, oc
curred when he led the senate minority
in 1890-91 and defeated the federal elec
tions bill. To his sagacious leadership
and adroit management his party
friends attributed the defeat of the
measure which was so obnoxious to the
south.
Broke With Cleveland.
It was during Cleveland’s last adminis
tration that the break occurred between
the democratic president and the leader
of his party In the senate. In a speech,
which always will be remembered by those
who heard it, Gorman severely arraigned
the president. To this opposition the de
feat of Gorman a few years later is at
tributed, although his party lost Maryland
in the silver campaigns.
As soon as the democrats regained con
trol of the state he was re-elected at once
to the senate. It was a tribute to his
leadership that as soon as he again ap
peared in the senate he was made leader
of the minority and, although the seniority
rule Is strictly enforced, Gorman was
given Important committee places that
were equal to those he had held after long
continuous service.
Grieve for Gorman.
The capitol building was shrouded In
gloom today. Senators, representatives,
committee employes, police and pages all
knew Gorman Intimately and the grief Is
general.
Ncwb of his death brought forth spon
taneous eulogies, such as are seldom given
to any man. especially to an intense parti
san who had been the leader of a great
party. Expressive tributes so unanimous
In bespeaking loveableness of the man and
silent concerning Incidents of polttlcal
strife, best evidenced the marked esteem
In which he was held.
In accordance with expressed desires of
deceased and the family's wishes there
will be no state funeral. Although ar
rangements are not yet perfected, It Is
understood that the services will be pri
vate and held at the Gorman home.
The senate will be represented by a com
mittee of Its members chosen from col
leagues who served with him many years.
Senator Gorman in a written request, ad
dressed to Mrs. Gorman, asked that no
state funeral should be held. He Bald he
did not wish his body to be brought to the
capitol as he wanted his colleagues al
ways to think of him as they knew him in
life, as an active senator. There he was
always cheerful. Invariably smiling, and It
is regarded os characteristic of his dispo
sition that he should so desire to be re
membered.
Senate Adjourns.
The senate adjourned today Immediately
upon receiving the announcement of Sen
ator Gorman's death. No business what
ever was transacted except the passage of
a resolution expressing regret at the death
of the Maryland senator.
Washington. June 4.—The house ad
journed when announcement of the death
of Gorman was made.
A FATAL DEGENERATE.
Manuel Morales, the Would-Be Regi
cide, the Subject of an
Autopsy,
Madrid, June 6. -The police are on the
track of accomplices of Manuel Mo
rales. the would-be assassin of King Al
fonso and Queen Victoria, who com
mitted suicide Saturday, after having
shot a rural guard who arrested him.
His confederates, it is known, assisted
Morales in escaping and gave him
shelter Thursday and Friday nights.
An autopsy on the body of the an
archist discloses that disease was mak
ing him a fatnl degenerate. He be
longed to the anarchist sect known as
Anti-Malthusians, who upheld the
theory of prevention of marriage and
births would gradually reduce the pop
ulation so the rich would be unable to
procure servants.
The reward of $5,000 which had been
offered for the uporehension of the
would-be regicide will be distributed
among the widow and five children of
the guard who apprehended Morales.
T he post of honor at the royal mili
tary review at Carabanchel camp was
occupied by the Madrau regiment to
which belonged the officers and privates
kil'ed b'’ the explosion May 31 by the
bomb burled at the king arid queen.
The sovereigns and regiment received
ovation?.
GOVERNMENT TRIUMPHS
Guatemala Crushes the Rebels, ana
Salvador Allies Are Put
to Rout.
Washington, D. C., June 4.—The
Guatemalan minister here today re
ceived a cablegram from Minister oi
Foreign Affairs Barrios stating the rev
olutionary movement across me Salva
dor boundary had met with utter de
feat. Guatemalan troops met the revo
lutionary party at Asuncion Mita and
defeated them completely.
Government forces, the cablegram
I says, have been triumphant all along
| the line and have not met the slightesi
reterse anywhere.
IN ROLE OF SHYLOCK.
Omaha Jeweler Wants Diamond Swal
lowed by Pretty Girl.
Omaha., Neb., June 2.—Like Shylock
and his pound of flesh, Tinley L. Coombs
has been placed by the courts in the
dilemma of not being able to claim Ills
property awarded by the Judge except
at the rink of killing a woman. In this
instance the pound of flesh is a $300 dia
mond in the appendix of a self-con
fessed shoplifter.
May Thomas swallowed the diamond
Saturday in the retail store of T. L.
Coombs & Co., Jewelers. From a tray
of diamonds on the counter the woman
removed the handsomest stone and con
cealed it In her mouth. To avoid be
ing found with the diamond on her per
son when searched, she swallowed it.
Fearing appendicitis, the Thomas wom
an confessed this to the police, who con
firmed the story by taking an X-ray
photograph.
"The diamond is yours,” said the po
lice Judge to the Jeweler today. "Take
it, but if you resort to a surgical oper
ation against the prisoner’s will and
Bhe dies you can be held for murder.”
The surgeons say the diamond cannot
be recovered without an operation, as
the X-ray showed it to be lodged in the
intestine.
About the only chance Coombs has of
recovering his $300 diamond is that the
Thomas woman will develop an attack
of appendicitis. Symptoms have already
been noted.
ORGANIZE K. C. LODGE.
Organization of Lodge at Chadron Fol
lows Love Feast.
C’hadron, Neb., June 2.—A council of
the Knights of Columbus which will be
known as the Chadron council, No. 1128,
was initiated in this city Sunday, May
27, by Arthur F. Mullen, of O’Neill. The
visiting knights to the number of about
100. including forty-two candidates for
the local council, met at Odd Fellows
hall at 9:30 o’clock and marched in a
body to St. Patrick’s church, where
they attended high mass at 10:30
o'clock, with Rev. J. Barry as celebrant.
Rev. E. P. Murphy preached the ser
mon, which was eloquent and instruct
ive. Very Rev. Dean Cassidy, of
O'Neill, arrived Sunday morning on a
special car with thirty-five knights
from the O’Neill council. After the in
itiation wcrk closed all proceeded to the
Blaine hotel, where a splendid banquet
was served. Toasts were responded to
by T. M. Harvey, of Deadwood; Andrew
M. Morrissey, of Valentine; T. V. Gold
en, of O’Neill; J. A. Donohoe, of O'Neill;
Dr. B. A. McDermott, of Omaha; Rev.
W. Berger, of Crawford; Rev. J. Barry
and Rev. E. P. Mu—'by. of Deadwood.
STATE TREASURER ROBBED.
Home of Peter Mortensen at Ord Bur
glarized in His Absence.
Ord, Neb.. June 2.—State Treasurer
Peter Mortensen has been robbed. He
returned to his home here last even
ing to discover that his residence had
been ransacked by burglars since his
last visit from Lincoln about two
months a?o. Treasurer Mortensen
made the discovery himself upon op
ening up his residence, which has been
closed during his absence. He found
the interior in a t(*psy-turvy state. He
stated that as far as he has been able
to ascertain nothing of very great
value was taken by the thieves.
PREPARED HIS “TUMORS.”
And Then Dug Them Out, Is the Charge
Against Nebraska Physician.
Lincoln, Neb., June 2.—Singular and
sensational are the charges filed against
Dr. Camille Neef of Humphrey. His
accuser is his divorced wife, and she
Informs the state board of health that
Neef has made a specialty of removing
tumors. These were manufactured of
ground beefsteak and prepared before
the operation.
She also accuses her husband of
forging a medical diploma and filing it.
This document was supposed to be
from a German school. She asserts
that the diploma was printed in St.
Joseph, and the names were forged,
she Alleges.
PACKERS ARE MUM.
They Have Made No Application to
Be Heard on the Beveridge
Beef Amendment.
Washington, May 31.—Chairman
Wadsworth of the house committee on
agriculture said today a substitute for
the Beveridge amendment is now be
ing drawn. The substitute provides
for complete inspection of every
phase of the preparation of meat for
the table.
Washington. D. C.. May 31.—No ap
plication to be heard on the Beveridge
beef inspection amendment has been
made to the house committee on agri
culture by the packers and no meeting
of the committee has been called to
consider this and other senate amend
ments to the agricultural appropria
tion bill.
Members of the house, however, are
receiving protests against the inspec
tion amendment from certain cattle
raisers, and it has been suggested if
the packers are opposing the proposi
tion they are working through the
stockmen.
FIRE FOLLOWS COLLISION
Cars Crash Into Auto and Many Are
Hurt.
Cincinnati, O., May 31.—Seventeen
persons were injured, one fatally, In a
collision between an automobile owned
by Dr. J. C. Atkins and two street cars
on Vine street hill here yesterday. The
chauffeur tried to pass between a Mill
Creek valley car, southbound, and a
Vine and Norwood car, northbound.
Immediately after the collision the
storage tank of the automobile explod
ed, throwing the burning oil over both
cars as well as the automobile. Dr. J.
C. Atkins, Bertha and Eugenia Nulson,
sisters, and Chauffeur Walter Levall,
colored, who were in the automobile,
were seriously burned. Dr. Atkins was
burned about the face and head and
will probably die. Thirteen of the pas
sengers on the Mill Creek valley car
were slightly burned. Both cars and
the automobile were completely de
stroyed. _ _
LAWYER VS. LAWYER.
Logan Attorney Sues Another for $1,
000 Damages.
Logan. Ia., May 31.—George W. Egan
has brought a civil suit for $1,000
against Thomas Arthur by the service
an original notice. In May. 1905,
Egan was the attorney for the plaintiff
In the damage suit of Ella .1. Bridgman
against the Rev. J. M. Williams et al.
I The jury found for the plaintiff in
the sum of $1, and Egan's fee. being a
contingent one. was small. Last No
vember Egan brought disbarment pro
ceedings against Arthur, charging him
with bribing one of the jurors in the
case with whisky, and the disbarment
case is still in the higher courts. Now,
Egan in the present action seeks recov
try of the fee lost in the Bridgman case
claiming that but for Arthur's alleged
interference he would have won the
case with a large recovery
PRESIDENT GIVES
OUT MEAT REPORT
—
Transmits to Congress State
ments of Reynolds and Neill
on Packing Houses.
CONDITIONS FRIGHTFUL
Flesh for Food Is Shoveled from a
Slimy Floor—Roosevelt Asks for
Inspection Law—Tax on Ani
mals fcr the Expense.
Washington, D. C., June 6.—Chair
man Wadsworth of the house com
mittee on agriculture made this
prediction to the Associated Frees
today:
"A meat inspection law will be
enacted which will insure the con
sumer meat fit to be eaten.”
When the speaker laid before the
house President Roosevelt’s mes
sage and summary investigation
made by Neill and Reynolds great
interest was displayed by members.
Its reading was closely followed and
at its conclusion there was a show
of applause which was instantly
checked by the speaker referring
the document and accompanying
papers to the committee on agricul
ture.
Washington, r>. C., June G.—President
Roosevelt today transmitted to con
gress the much talked of reports of
Special Commissioners Reynolds and
Neill of their investigation into the con
dition of the stock yards and packing
houses of Chicago.
The revelations are fully as bad as
tlie advanced statements indicated.
Pointing out the impossibility under ex
isting law to secure the needed relief j
the president urges congress to enact a
measure which will ”in the interest of
decency” change the revolting condi
tions. He advises that a tax on the
condemned animals be levied as a
means for paying for this added inspec
tion which will be carried on by the
government.
The president in his message to con
gress said:
Urgent Heed of Inspection.
The Senate and House of Representa
tives: I transmit herewith thereportof Mr.
James Bronson Reynolds and Commission
er Charles P. Neill, the special committee
whom I appointed to investigate into the
conditions in the stock yards of Chicago
and report thereon to me. This report is
of a preliminary nature. I submit it to
you now because it shows the urgent need,
of immediate action by the congress in the
direction of providing a drastic and thor
ough-going inspection by the federal gov
ernment of all stockyards and packing
houses and of their products so far as the
latter enter into interstate or foreign com
merce. The conditions shown by even this
short inspection to exist in the Chicago
stock yards are revolting. It is impera
tively necessary in the interest of decency
that they should be radically changed. Un
der the existing law it is wholly impossible
to secure satisfactory results.
When First Action Was Taken.
When my attention was first directed to
the matter an investigation was made by
the bureau of animal Industry of the de
partment of agriculture. When the pre
liminary statements of this investigation
were brought to my attention, they
showed such defects in the law and such
wholly unexpected conditions that I
deemed it best to have a further immedi
ate investigation by men not connected
with the bureau, and accordingly appoint- J
ed Messrs. Reynolds and Neill. It was
Impossible under the existing law that sat
isfactory work should be done by the bu
reau of animal industry. I am now, how
ever, examining the way in which the
work actually was done.
Before I had received the report of ]
Messrs. Reynolds and Neill I had directed j
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,
1s not secured by the passage of legisla
tion recommended, I shall feel compelled
to order that inspection labels and certifi
cates on canned products shall not be used
hereafter.
Not Even Reasonably Clean.
The report shows that the stock yards '
and packing houses are not kept even
reasonably clean, and that the method of
preparing and handling food products is |
uncleanly and dangerous to health. Under j
existing law the national government haB !
no power to force inspection of the many 1
forms of prepared meat foods, products ;
that are daily going from the packing !
houses into interstate commerce.
Owing to an inadequate appropriation |
the department of agriculture is not even .
able to place inspectors in all establish
ments desiring them. The present law I
prohibits the shipment of uninspected !
meal to foreign countries, but there is no :
provision prohibiting the shipment of un- |
inspected meats Into interstate commerce j
thus the avenues of interstate commerce !
arc left open to traffic In diseased or !
spoiled meats. If, as has been alleged on j
seemingly good authority, further evils ex
ist. such as the improper use of chemicals
and dyes the government lacks power
to remedy them.
A law is needed which will enable the In
spectors of the general governrm nt to in
spect and supervise from the hoof to the
can the preparation of the meat food pro
duct. The evil seems much less in the
sale of dressed carcasses than in the sale
of canned and other prepared products.
Animals Must Pay Expense.
In my judgment the expenses of the in
spection should be paid by fee levied on
each animal slaughterd. If this is not
done the whole purpose of the law can at
any- time be defeated through an insuffi
cient appropriation and wnenever there ;
was no particular public interest in the
subject It would be not only easy but nat
ural thus to make the appropriation insuf
ficient. If it were not for this considera
tion I would favor the government paying !
for it.
The alarm expressed in certain quarters j
concerning this feature should be allayed
by a realization of the fact that in no
case, under such a law, will the cost of in
spection exceed 8 cents per head.
I call special attention to the fact that
this report is preliminary, and that the
invesigation is still unfinished. It is not |
yet possible to report on the alleged j
abuses in the use of deleterious chemical i
compounds in connection with canning and i
preserving meat products, nor on the al- \
leged doctoring in this fashion of tainted
meat and of products returned to the :
packers as having grown unsaleable or un- I
as-able from age or from other reasons. |
Grave allegations are made in reference to
abuses of this nature.
No Law to Stop Abuses.
Let me repeat that under the present !
law there practically Is no method of stop- j
ping tluse abuses if they should be dis- :
covered t<> exist. Legislation is needed in
order to prevent the possibility of all!
i abuses in the future. lf no legislation is I
passed, then the excellent results aeeom- j
; pushed by the work of this special com- ■
i miltee will endure only so long as tne i
memory of the committee’s work is fresh !
and recrudescence of the abuses is abso
lute ly certain.
i urge tie* immediate enactment into law
of provisions which will enable the de
partment of agriculture adequately to in
spect the meat and meat food products
entering Into interstate commerce and to
supervise the methods of preparing the ,
same, and to prescribe the sanitary condi
tions under which the work shall be per
formed. 1 therefore commend to your
favorable consideration and urge the" en- ,
actment of substantially the provisions
: know n as senate amendment No. 29, to the
act. making appropriations for the de
partment of agriculture for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1907, as passed by the
senate, this amendment being commonly
known as the Beveridge amendment.
Theodore Roosevelt.
The Wtfcite House. June 4, 1906.
Uncleanness Everywhere.
A synopsis of the report of Reynolds
and Neill follows:
The report says that two and one-half
weeks were spent in the investigation In
Chicago, "during which we went through
the principal packing houses in the stock
yards district, together with a few of the
smaller ones. A day was spent by Mr.
Reynolds in New York city in the lnvesti
agtion of its leading slaughter houses.”
The report says that in many of the
rooms where water is used freely the
floors are soaked and slimy and the dark
and dingy rooms art naturally not kept
suitably clean. An absence of cleanliness
was found everywhere in the handling of
meat being prepared for the various meat
food products. The parts that are sent
from the cooling room to these depart
ments where various forms of meat pro
ducts are prepared are handled with no
regard whatever for cleanliness. The
workers climb over heaps of meat, select
the pieces they wish and frequently throw
them down upon the dirty floor beside
their bench.
Meat Shoveled from Filthy Floors.
"In a word,” the report adds, ‘‘we saw
meat shoveled from filthy, wooden floors,
piled on tables rarely washed, pushed from
room to room in rotten box carts, in all of
which processes it was in the way of
gathering dirt, splinters, floor filth. It
was always the reply that this meat would
afterwards be cooked and that this steri
lization would prevent any danger from its
use. A very considerable portion of the
meat so handled is sent out as smoked
products and in the form of sausages,
which are prepared to be eaten without
being cooked.
"A particularly glaring instance of un
cleanliness was found in a room where the
best grade of sausage was being prepared
for export.”
The report says that the radical defect
in the inspection system is that it is con
fined at present by law' to passing on the
healthfulness of animals at the time of
killing, but that the meat that is used in
sausage and the various forms of canned
I products and other prepared meat foods
goes through many processes, in all of
which there is possibility of contamination
through unsanitary handling and further
danger through the use of chemicals. Dur
ing all these processes there is no govern
ment inspection although these products
when sent out bear a label stating that
they have been passed upon by govern
ment inspectors. The report arraigns the
sanitary provisions in buildings as abom
inable and says that men and womea
plunge their unwashed hands into the
meat to be converted into food products.
The report says the burden of protecting
the cleanliness and wholesomeness of the
products the health of the workers and
improving the conditions must fall upon
the national government.
Tuberculosis Contagion.
Department superintendents “seem to
ignore all considerations except the ac
count book,” and proper care of the pro
ducts and of health and comfort of the
employes is impossible and the consumer
consequently suffers.
Tuberculosis victims expectorate on the
spongy wooden floors of the dark work
rooms from which falling scraps of meat
are later shoveled up to be converted into
food products.
“Even the ordinary decencies of life are
completely Ignored,” says the report in
diecusing the arrangements for men and
women employes. The report says:
“The whole situation as we saw it in
these huge establishments tends neces
sarily and inevitably to the moral degrad
ation of thousands of workers, who are
forced to spend their working hours under
conditions that are entirely unnecessary
and unpardonable and which areaconstant
menace not only to their own health, but
to the health of those who use the food
products prepared by them.”
What Is Needed.
The report urged compulsory examina
tion after slaughter.
“Inclusion of goats, now exempt from
inspection intended for foreign or inter
state commerce in the last subject to the
inspection of the bureau of animal in
dustry, and that they should be equally
controlled by tne regulations of the secre
tary of agriculture.”
The report as::s for increase of inspec
tors for night inspection and special work;
legislation prohibiting declarations of gov
ernment inspections of food products un
less subject to government inspection at
every stage of preparation: prohibiting
interstate transportation of any meat or
meat food products not inspected and
labeled; urges considering the question o{
specific labeling of all carcasses sold as
fresh meat which upon examination after
slaughtering show signs of disease but
are still deemed suitable for food; and
recommends study of inspection standard*
of other countries.
WOULD CALL ON SCIENCE.
Mayor Dunne Asks Secretary Wilson
for Advice.
Chicago, June 4.—Mayor Dunne to
day received the following telegram
from Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
in response to an inquiry asking the
views of the government regarding
the appointment of a special scientific
committee to investigate the condition
of the Union Stock yards:
“Washington, June 4.—Hon. E. P.
Dunne. Mayor: 1 have submitted your
telegram to the pathologists of the de
partment and will communicate fur
ther. James Wilson, secretary of ag
riculture.”
The mayor declined to discuss the
appointment of a commission or ac
tion to be taken until he receives fur
ther advices from the government.
SURE THERE HAS BEEN
NO DISCRIMINATION
President Cassatt Returns From Eu
rope to Help in the Inves
tigation.
Philadelphia, June 6.—A. J. Cassatt,
president of the Pennsylvania Rail
road company, has arrived home.
Mr. Cassatt said he had returned
home to take part in the investigation
by the board of directors of the Penn
sylvania Railroad company into the
matters that had been disclosed dur
ing his absence in the proceedings be
fore the Interstate Commerce commis
sion. He had received only brief cable
reports from the office of the company'
and knew nothing of the details, but
from these reports and cables to the
London press he had learned that
charges had been made against cer
tain officials of the acceptance of
bribes from coal operators.
The board would investigate all such
charges exhaustively and if any officer
or employe should be found guilty of
corrupt practices he would be sum
! marily dealt with.
Referring to the testimony of eom
; pany officers that they held stocks of
; coal companies and to the inference
; drawn by the newspapers that favor
' itlsm and discrimination on a large
I scale had been practiced for the benefit
of the companies wnose stocks were
I thus held Mr. Cassatt said that while
such ownership by officers in a posi
! tlon to exercise favoritism, and there
1 fore liable to suspicion, was no doubt
' inadvisable and unfortunate, it was
j not an offense in itself, if the stocks
j were properly acquired, and was not
i contrary to the by-laws of the com
pany; in fact the management had in
the earlier years of the company en
couraged its officers to aid iu the de
velopment of industries along its line.
The wrong, if any had been done!
was iu the alleged favoritism.
There could be no favoritism in
| rates, as shippers of coal and all othei
! freights were on an absolute equality;
all paid the full tariff rates without re
i bate.
j Mr. Cassatt made himself personally
responsible for the absolute correctness
of this statement.
