The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-08
80 fScmtaaRicahedtii '1-7- '--@~'.+::- -;
A Complaint against tile Butchers
League.

/ MessrS. Eaitors,- In the good old days,
now past aud gone, when our fathers We're
well-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-
sarics of life; but times have changed, and
those Of us who then had prospective for
tune coming to us from our parents are to-
day poor indced-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 cXactcd for the
purpose of supporting the leagues, unions,
and cOrneis 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 and par
licipators therein may be blighted in their
hope Of great gain by The witlering scorn of
an outraged community. We wish to cali
the attention of the citizens of Richmond 10
the last and, perhaps, most infamous Of these
leagues that has come under our observation.
We allude to what is knownas the Butchers
Union, whose founder and author is
not known, like q bastard child
born out of due time and diSowned by its
parents. But bef,re entering into details we
must, in justice to tue five who stand aloot
from this organization, state that those are
George Schwalm and Moses Brooks (the lat
ter a colored man), in the First Market, and
Holsimcr, Peter Burke, and A. Dyner, OF the
Second Market, who, in defiance of this great
comLinaton 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 support of every buyer.
But, again, let us see what this league has
done to put down the few who remain out
side of this union. Well, it is generally
known that there are three cattle brokers in
this city, and committee from this league
has waited upon these brokers and informed
them that if they sell any stock whatever to
any butcher not 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 beet
here at home; and the brokers, fearing this
mighty union, refuse to sell him beef for the
support of Richmond people. If this is not
y UtStl- plEAC Va oh thNSShS /"
butchers and the citizens of this city, we know
not what to term it. Another natural result
is that the beef we paid l23 cents for before
the birth of this monster, we now pay 1G3 to
20 cents. This. perhaps, the rich people OF
this city can afford but how can the poor
man-the laborer, who is the bone and sinew
of this country-ay such prices for these
Indispensable, 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 bis cattle; but
now it is still worse, for, according to the ltw
under which the Union works. there is yir.
t,lally but one buyer for the farmers stock
because if Il member of the league hears his
brother member offer 500 for Il lot of stock
that Is worth SO, and should bid s. orel
him, he is at once fined SS25 for so doing. .Te
show that these men have entered into this
ring for the purpose of eXtortion and mo-
nopoy, one member said publicly that du
ring the month of February he had cleared
$500 more than he had done in any montl
before he entered this league. We want thi:
thing known, and if the citizens OF Rich
mond are willing to patronize this league ane
en-; ourage extoltion they can do so, but WI
will certainly spend our little mites with th'
independents. CIv1s.