Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-11-28
THE MEAT INVESTIGATION.

ing to ascertain if there is not COM
between the beef-canners and
the commission men Of Kansas City and
10y which the price of cattle are
regulated. The combination is known
rs the big Four" and is made up of
the leading packers of the country.
These packers have attempted, and have
about succeeded in controlling the
dressed beef market of the east, and so
perfect is their monopoly that large
per cent. of the beef consumed in the
east is killed and dressed IN Kansas
City or Chicago and sent i'm refrigera-
tor cars TO the east. The Eastern butch
ers have been practically frozen out by
this immense combine. Commission
men are afraid to buy cattle for local
butchers as 1t would displease the COM
bine. Not only are the commission men
IN the power of the combine, but the
railroad companies are its slaves. So
it is worse than a two-edged sword.
The cattle raisers, the local butchers
and the meat consumers are all made TO
contribute to the greedy and never-sat-
isded men of this giant monopoly.
The investigating committee is made
up of Senators Vest, of Missouri.
Plumb, of Kansas, Cullom, of Illinois,
Henderson, of Nebraska and Coke, of
Texas.
The first meeting was held in ST.
Louis on the 10Th inst, and the evidence
obtained covers a vast field, embracing
the cattle range business, the practices
in the yards, the dressed meat industry
and the butcher business.
The first witness examined was ID.
II. Snyder, of Williamson county, Tex,
who testified that he had been in the
cattle business since 1866.
O.: What is the state of the cattle
trade now as compared with past years.
A.: The trade is not so good as it was
up TO 1885. range cattle not bringing the
prices they did / commenced driving
In 1868 and at that time bought cattle
at Sl.5O To geo per head for l-year olds,
50 TO - per head for say up TO 4-year-
Olds, and beef cattle were selling at 81
per head. Prices advanced steadily to
iSSJ-l, and II became the policy To take
better care of cattle and improve the
grade. This policy prevailed through
out the country.
O.: In your opinion. what is the
cause of the decline i'm pricesY A.: Over
production is the chief cause, | think.
The cattle trade was prosperous up to
about 1875, but has not been since.
O.: Why Is the price of beef cattle so
much lower than formerly y. Prices
are not lower for prime beer cattle.
The trouble is with the grade of cattle
now raised. IL is not as good as in past
years. We used To ship cattle averaging
1900 pounds. and now the average is
about ] $50 pounds.
@: What is the cause for cattle be-
ing lighter now? A.: Lack of grass
supply is the only reason.
The witness then stated in answer to
questions from Messrs. Plumb, Man
derson and Cullom, that, despite the
fact of their having been heavy losses
Of cattle in Indian Territory and last
year i'm Montana, the supply was now
too great, and trade suffered in conse-
quence. In answer TO a question from
Senator Plumb he stated that Chicago
was the only market for cattle.
In answer to several questions he said
that he was not in favor of inspection
on the hoof as he believed 1t to be detri-
mental to the cattle trade for the rea.
son that it would serve to divert trade
from the one large market. and shippers
would never know whether they would
be able to dispose of their shipments to
the smaller markets or not. The ad-
vantage of shipping to Chicago was that
you were sure of always finding mar
ket for your stock.
Witness then went on to say that The
Chicago prices are affected by the sup
ply of cattle, that if the market is oyer
stocked, the prices are lower; he pre-.
ferred to shipon low market. lie had
no means of knowing if the market was
manipulated. Chicago is the only cat
tie market, and most of the stuff sold
at Kansas City is really for Chicago. II
shipper can not sell at Chicago he has
% other market TO ship TO. the Eastern
aarkets being Supplied through Chica
20. He only knew of the existence Oi
the big Four" combination through
heresay.
The next witness was a. =. Bush, OF
Colorado City. Texas. ranchman. lie
knew that the cattle trade had been in
a depressed condition for three years
I'D the reason for this, in his opinion
arises from a combination Of causes
he first of which is the unlimited cred
which was extended TO cattlemen sew
eual years ago. when that trade was
booming and everyone was anxious to
90 into 1t, the consequence of which has
cen that a great many have been una
bic 10 meet their obligations and their
attic were forced on the market in
large numbers. The second is the mar
keting of non-merchantable and unmar-
ketable cattle, which caused decline
Of prices"
O.: You said that one of the causes
for depression was the unlimited credit
extended to cattlemen. Explain that.
A.: l referred to the period of inflated
prices for cattle, when the boom attrac-
ted many inexperienced people from the
East and some living In Texas and the
Territories TO go into the business. ex-
eeting to realize high prices.
q They were induced by large prof
It's IN the cattle trader A: Yes, aud a
il was easy to borrow money they went
heavily into the business. failed. and
their cattle were thrown on the market.
o.: In view of the great decline in the
prices paid for cattle ON the h0ot.
shouldn't prices TO the consumers have
gone down also? A.: That Is matter
/ haven't kept up with, but 1t is known
that the consumer pays az much as
ever.
O.: It Is notorious fact then that
the price paid the consumer has gone
down, while that which the consumer