Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-22
ABeeffy Monopoly.
Interesting Developments of an
Official Inquiry.
CHICAGO YEARNS FOR THE EARTH

Concerned The Way She Hogged the
Business, According to Statements of
Witnesses-Armour'sG Grip on the Traffic
The Cattiemen and Butchers Conven-
tion Hanging Fire and Why.
ST LOUIS, Mo-, Nov. 22.-The senate COM
mittee investigating the catts question held
It's second session here yesterday, the first
witness being J. L Brush, cattleman OF
Colorado City MIR. Brush said be had heard
of dressed beef interest in Chicago, but did
not have personal knowledge of its ex-
istence
j. NJ Osborne, division freight agent of
the Wabash railroad, the next witness, said
st. Louis dropped behind Chicago as a cattle
market in 1856 Last year there was an I'M
precedented rise of 81 per hundred on cattle.
The witness said he thought it was the ap-
pointmeut of this committee that caused the
rise, althou Ii he might be hung by some Of
the cattle men for saying So In 1873 there
was combination formed called the Even
ers," composed of the New York Central,
Erie, Pennsylvania and connections. The
combination was for the benefit Of Chicago,
and the rebate did not apply TO St. Louis or
any other place.
]. c. Beatty, of FL Paso, Tex, a raiser,
buyer and seller of cattle, testified that the
firm with which he was connected put up
a SIS 900 refrigerator, but were forced to
shut it down, the railroad agent informing
them that his obligations to Mr.. Armour
were such that he would not get ears for
them to ship cattle out TO the Pacific coast.
Mr.. Armour then began putting beef in re-
fpigara fgr % oud hrpta IN -af
81 cents to l 4 cents, and cattle raisers near
Fl Paso were compelled to ship to Kansas
City at a loss.
Brewster Cameron, an Arizona cattle
raiser, testified that many cattle raisers
were on the verge of bankruptcy. When
cattle went into the Chicago market drovers
had the privilege of looking through a hole
in fence at them. Butchers had not a free
chance to buy.
c. S slaughter, of Dallas, Tex, stock
raiser and banker, had been 20 Chicago and
Kansas City with cattle. He thought il strange
when he took cattle from Kansas City to
Chicago that he should be offered the same
figure at the latter place as he had been Of
fered at the former, and that the represent
atives of the same firm at Chicago as the one
he had seen at Kansas City would he the
only buyers who would look at his cattle.
Bill heads We're the same in both cities, and
usually Switts or Armour's.
With reference TO the cattle mems and
butchers convention, which was to have been
begun here Tuesday, it seems that the cattle
men and the butchers are not exactly in
harmony, and begins TO look as though the
Joint con gention would fall through Half
Il a.
contingent in the exposition building yester-
day morning. The stage, handsomely decor
ated with emblems appropriate to the occa-
sion, was the only evidence that there was to
be cattle convention. The Range associa-
ton members declare that they viii not meet
with the butchers unless the latter agree to
abjure ali discussion of lump jawei beef.
Il is openly asserted that the dressed beef
men have carried the day, and that, if there
is joint convention OF the range men and
butchers, it VIII amount To nothing more
than the reading OF papers. The dressed
beef representatives sent circular TO each
association asking that the convention be
called 10 order, and that they be admitted
to participation IN Its deliberations, to have
full aud free discussion of the live stock
question, with the object in view of asking
congress to provide for rigid inspection of
all live stock on the hoof at all of the large
slaughtering points in the country, which
would include Chicago, s. LOUIS, Kansas
City, Omaha and New Yors The conven-
ton was postponed Tuesday owing to the
discovery made by the range men and butch
ers that the dressed beef representatives
had captured it, and they are not pleased
Ut Tho 1aa1arS L
to eadesvOr to AVOID disaster.
The conference is a remarkable one, for
it is.the first one where the dressed beef in.
terests have entered into opposition and
| shown their hands They have the advant.
| age on the question of being aimittsl TO the
| convention, Tor tine call was for representa-.
/ tive men in ali branches OF the cattle indus.
/ try II Is claimed the beef trust has enolsh
! men here to out-vote the opposition on any
| point The commission men are with the
/ dressed beef interests The former oppost
/ state inspection, because it would convince
! the European governments that American
cattle We're diseased, and thus shut off ex
portation, which now amounts to but GOutpi
annually, while it should be at least 800,
| 600 The dressed beef men are opposed to i
because the necessity of Inspection on tn,
hcof would imperll the $50, 900, 0O5 investe,
in the different branches of their industry
Both are in favor of national inspection, be
cause it you'd he a guarantee of good healtt
which would be accepted at nome an,
abroad.
LATER A call was issued last night fol
| a conference Of cattle raisrIs, cattle feeder
and butchers, to be held this evening uude
the auspices of the two organizations
The Oklahoma Convention.