Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-06-16
Speculation and COlnbina.
ton to Keep up the
Prices Of Food.

There have been during this War many
combinations to advance the prices of diff
ferent articles of food; but probably, the
most unblushing and wicked. is that
which has sent up the price of beef to fig
ures that place it beyond the means Of
persons with moderate incomes, to pur-
chase. There is no necessity for those
prices. 1t is nothing more than the re-
suit Of speculation and com bination among
few persons who have control of the
Eastern markets, and complete command
over the graziers. In speaking of the
operations of these Shylocks, the Phila-
delphia Inquirer says:
They can, by their heavy operations,
keep back the number of cattle coming to
market. compel the butchers to pay what
ever they choose to ask. and the public
suffers in the end by the imposition of
inordinate prices. These men are the
Steenbergens Of 1864. They obtain their
facilities in the same manner that Steen-
bergen did when the Bank of the United
States was in Hourishing operation, and
they may, by public resolution, be broken
down as thoroughly as he was So long
as the public is determined to buy beef,
whatever the price, the schemes of these
intriguers will succeed.
But let there be concert of action on
the subject among housekeepers. and the
monopaiy can be broken down so disast-
rously to those who sustain it, that the
lesson will be remembered for years. 1t
is simple resolution not to buy beef un-
I'll it comes down to reasonable price.
Two or three weeks general agreement
upon this point would bring as much con-
fusion to the spectators as a muoran.--
They cannot hold their stock if there is a
suspension of the consumption of meat {;
their cattle would soon "eat their heads
of, and bankruptcy would menace them
so clearly that they would have to give
in. Another benefit would also beat
tanned. Beef is to other meats regula-
ton. Mutton, veal and pork are going
up with the advance in beef, and poultry
has attained a figure which is enormous.
Reduce the price of beef and all other
fresh provisions must come down also. -
The subject is really one which appeals
to the pockets OF every one. An anti
beef eating league is as necessary as the
''convenant' against importations which
the ladies are endeavoring to. establish.
The buthers. who suffer all the blame
| from immediate consumers, are not so
much the blame. 1t is true that they
have not stood out against the monopoly
as they should have done. They held
National Convention some months since
with the design of remedying this very
evil. But for some reason the IN ,vent
came to nothing, and the butchers are to-
day AS much in the power of the cattle
monopolists as they ever were The
butchers must have their own profits up
on the slaughtered cattle, and those prof
its are nearly the same whether beet is
dear or cheap. 1t is to their interest to
attract customers, and they can command
them more readily when they can sell
their meats a: low prices than when they
must charge great ones. They would sell
much more if they could sell cheaply. and
they would make more money. Beef
eaters, upon you rests the responsibility
of the inlFasition to which you have SO
long submitted. Resolve to forego your
self qualification for few weeks, and
you will DO service to yourselves and
to every one who suffers by the monopo-
lies of the markets.
We endorse the advice of our cotempo-
rary, and urge upon our citizens to stop
the use Ct beef until the spectators are
forced by public action, to become honest
We can expect no abatement of the evil
while we patiently submit to the enor.
nous imposition of the cattle monopo-
lists. Let us form st once. an Anti
Beef Eating League"