The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-08
tCommunieated.1
A Complaint Against the Butchers
League.

League.
Messrs. Editors-In the good old DAYS,
now past and gone, when our fathers were
wel.to-do. in our childhood and early man
hood, the days of prosperity and plenty, it
was considered beneath the honor and dig
nifty of gentleman of those days to think
or speak of the prices charged for the neces-
saries of life; but times have changed, and
those Of us who had then prospective for
tune coming to us from our parents are to-
day poor indeed-the natural consequences
of the late war. We are all poor, and can
not afford to pay fancy prices for articles of
daily consumption when it is exacted for the
purpose of supporting the leagues, unions,
and corners that are constantly being formed
in these days of morality. These leagues,
unions, &c., wherever and for whatever pur-
pose formed, should at all times be held up
to the public, that they may receive their
just condemnation, that the authors aud par
t,cpators therein may be blghted in their
hope of great gain by the whitening scorn of
an outraged community. We wish to call
the attention of the citizens Of Richmond to
the last and, perhaps, most Infamous ofthese
leagues that has come under our observation.
We allude to what is known as the Butch.
ers' Union, whose founder and author is
not known, like bastard child born out
of due time and disowned by its parents.
But before entering into details we
must, in justice to the five who stand aloof
from this organization, state that those are
George Schwalm and Moses Brooks 1.-THE
latter colored mani, in the First market,
and Holsimer, Peter Burke, and A. Dyner,
of the Second market, who, in defiance o.
this great combination of their brother
craftsmen, stand to-day independent of this
order, willing to buy and sell at price
| that enables both buyer and seller to live.
| These men ought to have the hearty sup
port Of every buyer. But, again, let us
see what this league has done to put down
the few who remain outside of this union.
Well, it is generally known that there are
three cattle brokers in this city, and a
committee from this league has waited
upon these brokers and informed them that
if they sell any stock whatever to any
butcher not a member of the Butchers
League the entire league will refuse to pur-
chase any more stock of them.
The result is that Mr.. George Schwalm,
if none of the other outsiders, has been
forced to send to Baltimore to buy beef to
supply his customers, when there is plenty
of beef here at home; and the broker,
fearing this mighty union, refuse to sell
him beef for the support of the Richmond
people. If this is not high-handed piece
of injustice on these few butchers and the
citizens Of this city, we know not what to
term it. Another natural result is that
the beef we paid 12a cents for before the
birth of this monster, we now pay l6a to 20
cents. This, perhaps, the rich people of
this city can afford but how can the poor
mantle laborer, who is the bone and
sinew of this country-pay such prices for
these indispensables, and that, too, just to
support this ring?
The farmer, who is the Understanding
and worst-paid man in the country, has
been getting almost nothing for his cattle /;
but now it is still worse, for, according to
the law under which the Union works,
there is virtually but one buyer for the
farmers stock because if a member OF
the league hears his brother member offer
$50 for lot of stock that is worth $40,
and should bid So over him, he is at once
fined $25 for so doing. To show that these
men have entered into this ring for the
purpose of extortion and monopoly, one
member said publicly that during the
month of February he had cleared 5000
more than he had done in any month be.
fore he entered this league. We want this
thing known, and if the citizens of Rich
mond are willing to patronize this league
and encourage extortion they can do so,
but we will certainly spend our little mites
| with the independents. CIvIs.