New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-17
AGAINST THE BEEF MONOPOLY.
SENATORS DISCUSS THE MEAT QUESTION


MR. VESTS LIVELY DENCSCIATIoN OF CHICAGO
FIrMs-coSDUCr or THE RAILROADS.
Washington May I6-Mr. Vest addressed the senass
today on the resolution offered by him last MONDAY pro
vldng for a select committee TO examine the Questions
touching meat and products of the United states
The question of the meat product OF the united ese
he said, affected every portion OF the country and
almost every individual in It, The history Of tne
world showed that the Defeating peoples were foro
most in peace and war, In art and science no quo'e
from a taole showing the relative consumption Oh ooei
per head per year among the principal nAuons ~
1884 The United States stood at the head, with lSo
pounds per head Great Britain next with io5 pounds
Then followed France with seventy-six POUNDS Ger
many sxty-one Russia forty eight; Italy twentynVe'
Austria sxty-four Spain fortynne, and Scandinavia
sixty-seven This showed that the two great EnSnsn
speaking peoples the largest consumers OF peoI
Yet with wonderful increase Of consumption ABROAD,
and with the additional fact that during the ias'
terrible winter 100000 head Of cattle persisted In the
Territory of Montana alone, the price OF beef was
steadily declining 10 the producers while It was In
creasng to the consumers Tho purpose OF this rsou-
ton was to find out Why this was so lie nlenuonco
the falling OF In the cattle business OF CT Louis anu
Kansas City, and spoke of Chicago as the bead aho
front Of cattle trade of this country and OF inc
world Five firms In Chicago, he said, controlled tho
nrlce OF meat throughout the United States. There
was not butcher in washington, NewOreans, Chicago
or san Francisco who did feel the effects OF thas
combination The great railroad lines centrng ID
Chicago had entered into combination with those nvo
firms lie read q statement giving details OF the
arrangements made In 1873 between the railroad
companies mentioning particularly the New-fo rA Cen
trail the Erie and Pennsylvania and the Chicago nIms
Under that arrangement St. Louis had ceased 10 %
rival with Chicago in the meat trade.
Mr. Henderson said that he was In hearty SYM
patty with Mr. Vest. He read statements showing
that 1914 head Of cattle had been killed ana
sold IN 1887 by five Chicago firms, Armor, swlt and
others and that there had been divided the enormous
sum Of over S54 100000.
Mr.. Culom suggested insertion so as to make
the resolution read: whether there has existed or
now exists any combination Of any kind, either on
the part Of tho Trunk Line Association or Central
Traffic Association 1t had seemed TO him that there
had been some feeling the part Of the Senator from
Missouri growing out of the fact that Chicago had
seemed to get with the cattle trade The success
of Chicago said the result OF the enterprise
and energy Of the people Of Chicago. In his lud9-
ment, one OF the OF the preVa ilng prices 70
producers and consumers was the fact that the rail-
road companies charged than they ought 10 Tor
the TRANSPORTATION OF 1--we stock, OF dressed meat
| from the West TO the East
| On motion of Mr.. PLUMB the resolution was
amended so as include otheu agencies OF transpor
| tation,' and with Mr.. CULLOAPS amendment the 70
solution was agreed to.