Arizona silver belt., 1888-05-19
The Cattle Syndicate.
lFrom the Globe. .Demncrat.l

fFrom the Globe -Democrat.)
 It is not to be disputed that one of the most mischievous of existing mo- nopoies is that by winch the cattle markets of the country are regulated and controlled. Under the influence of this grasping and powerful combl- nation, the cattle industry has been practically destroyed except as it serves to enrich a few persons and firms at the expense of both producers and consumers. The farmers who at- tempt to raise stock for beef purposes are compelled to abandon the under taking because the profits which they should realize are arbitrarily taken from them by processes which are lit tie short of robbery. For the past five or six years, the prices of cattle have been steadily diminishing, in spite of the fact that the demand tor beef has been constantly increasing. It is mo- torious. as Senator Vest charges, that the man who ships cattle according to the quotations of given day is al- most certain 10 have to take less when he reaches 5he market. The rates do not depend upon any fixed and honest system of commercial logic, but upon the ipse dixit of a ring of spectators who have obtained a specles of power that amounts 10 a practical tyranny. In a certain sense. these monopolists daily confscate the property of other people; and the victims have no means of defense or redress.
 The estimate of Senator Plumb that the value of each steer of 3 years old and upward raised west of the MisSis- sippi during the past five years has been reduced at least S10 by this com bination IS unqueslionabIy within the truth. Generally speaking, the prices are 50 per cent less than they were when the cattle syndicate began its nefarious operations. And yet the supply of cattle is much smaller now than it was then, and the consumption of beef is a great deal larger. The prices of beef to the consumer have gone up meanwhile, year after year, and are now higher than they have ever been before in all our history. Thus the knife of the monopolists cuts both ways. It forces the producer to take beggerly prlce for his cattle on the one hand, and on the other it forces the consumer to pay an exorbI- tant price for his beet, the whole profit being pocketed by the select circle of conspirators who have the markets ab solutely at their mercy. Perhaps there is no present way to break up this oppressive ring, and secure to the stock-raisers a decent share of the val ue of their products; but if there is not, then some effective method of bringing about such a consummation should be invented It is a reproach to our laws and to our boasted pro- tectlon of the interests of the masses that such monopoly is possible, and that the people are obliged to pay tribute to it in such costly and help less fashion. Millions upon millions of dollars which legitimately belong to the farmers of the West ale being annually tilched from them for. the benefit of a class of men who thrive by the violation of the plainest prin- ciples of business justice, fairness and integrity, and It is to be hoped that some statesman will be able to devise a remedy where the wrong is so dis tiuet and so fragrant.