The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-27
CHEAP MEAT.

To the Editor Of the n. O. Bulletin:
A singular feature of the market war being
wa9ed III this city is the declaration (noy
Officially Of the butchers that thu ami lils,tiGn
of the small markets will cheaper meat. The
Presid ut OF the Butchers Association says
that, lin consequence OF the enforcement vi
| Act 81 Of the General Session Of 1874 and
the closing Of the private ~ lrkets, the butch
erS of the public marletS will be enlbled to
| Sell meat At from 5 tc l2b cents per pound
during the summer season, thus completely
| rctuting the argument Of mere use Of prices
| by this much Dire .ded monopoly (so-cale y. y
| Let Us lo9k little way back into the
- butcher history OF tits harasscd commll-
nifty.
! A few years ago under the regime Of War
moh, the mem orab!o Sllug hter- house law WAS
pas Ell. Tnis law took the business of kill
ing animals out OF the immedi ite hands of
| the butchers and placed it in he hands OF an
inf mons monopoly. That law plainly inter
tered with the general rights OF individ ial
members of the community, and the univer-
sal howl sent up by the Butchers Assoc alton
will long be remembered. The butchers OK
was then being gored, and he made the vel
kin ring Every argument against monopo-
lies was then exhausted, and none WIS more
forcibiy put than the one that snch arbitrary
acti IN, lying a. it did in the face of natural
laws, would enhance the price Of meat.
OF course the monopoly contendcd that it
would cheaper meat winch. of course. 1t
H. vrr did. Fhe butchers appealed to the
courts and made .n out-and-out II 5ht Of it
Finally, by book or by crook, the butchers
got INTO the S.aughter-House, and all became
serene. Meat kept up. In the meantime
private markets sprung mp In other words,
everybody VAS allowed t. sell meat and citi-
a 4.
their supply.
Now what do We see? Why these same
butchers, not satisfied with possession Of the
Slaug hler- House: not satisfied with the pr vi
leSe OF selling meat from stalls voluntarily
leased from the city at prices bid by then-
selves: not satistiei with doing what all men,
in all other callings, must do, viz: brave com
petition, but having u law passed subsequent 10
their leases which breik. down co npetlton,
breaks up The liked aud honest mode Of living
OF their fellow. citizens, and holds them (the
Butchers Association) up before the world us
q more objectionable monopoly than was the
Slang .tar-House Company.
But what shall We say OF the butchers card
that meat vii be cEeapened? What can we
We say but that 1t Is a deliberate insult to the
people
Imagine this great com unity with hut one
doctor, lawyer. III reliant, or even underti ,er,
permitted by law to pursue his calling. Would
it be rs che p TO live, or even to die, as it now
is? Do the butchers can to say that natural
laws cease to act when they reach their august
association? Do the words competition, sup
ply, demand, lose their significance when used
in the Butchers Association?
Alas : it is bat too ,lain that our butchers
have in their greed allowed themselves to be
come an unnatural law unto themselves.
Butchers OF New Orleans yoa are ,rr'nsy: you
have been led astray Won have struck hands
with ptch, and you are de lied. Come out
like men amt admit the wrong. If you do
not, remember that the wheel Of fortune Is
turin G over and he who rides next the sun
I o-day can be deep i'll tn mire tom 'rrow
HnMn