Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-10
The Senate Committee Open on
the Big Four at Kansas City.
Governor Click and Others Give Inter,
esting Testimony Against the
Cattle Combine.
Tie Big Four Have Had Things in Their Own
Hands, and Have Regulated Cattle Prices
to Suit Themselves.


ing in the parlors of the Midland hotel.
Senators Henderson and Farwell had not
arrived at the hour of assembling, but
Chairman Vest and members Plumb and
Coke were promptly on hand, and after
being formally called to order the in
vestIgation began The examina-
ton of two witnesses occupied the
morning session. They were George
w. Click of AtchisOn, eX-gOv-
ernor of Kansas, and Charles
burst of Atchison. Both we're willing
witnesses, being stockmen, and had all
manner of charges to make against the
packers combine.
The ex-governor of Kansas testified
first. He had been IN the cattle raising
business for thirty years during which
time the prices of cattle had de-
preciated thirty or forty per cent. The
cause for this, the witness said, was the
establishment in Kansas City of great
packing interest which has developed
first, a great competition among the
sellers Of cattle, and afterwards COM
binatlon among the packers which was
so powerful that its members could buy
cattle at their own prices.
''Have you any direct knowledge of the
workings of this combination? Senator
Vest asked,
Eyes. ! have shipped cattle to Kan
sas City and have placed them on the
the markets here at the market price.
The packers buyers protested that the
price was too high and assured me that
if I did not want TO sell at their price l
could reship my cattle and send them
to Chicago. I did that several times and
found each time that the Armour Norris
Swift combination controlled that end of
the route too. l was forced in the end to
sell at their figure.
The witness testifying further asserted
that the effect of the depreciation in the
prices of cattle had been to drive many
of the cattle raisers of Kansas out of the
business altogether. The packers also
controlled rates on the railroads, to an
extent, and the packers of Kansas City
have almost ruined the butchers
| business of Atchison, aud
would have done so entirely
had not the city council passed and en-
forced city ordinance requiring the in
+ sDection of beef on the hoof Before
| that ordinance went into effect the
| packer could buy his cattle in Atchison,
| ship them to Kansas City, work them
| into dressed beef, reship the latter pro-
| duct to Atchison and sell it cheaper than
| the local butchers could sell their dressed
| beef slaughtered at home. The lnspec-
| ton ordinance, however, had remedIed
| this state of affairs.
Charles burst, q butcher of Atchison,
| Kas was the next witness. He cor
roborated the testimony of Ex-Governor
| Click concerning the depreciation in
! prices OF cattle. When asked if he had
| come in direct contact with the combina-
| ton of which Mr.. Click had spoken, he
related the following experience:
| 81 came to Kansas city one day to buy
/ sheep. I asked the owner IN the pens
| the prices of his stock. He quoted a fig
ure. l looked further, after taking an
| option on his sheep. When l returned
| the sheep had been sold, and at a price
| considerably below my offer. The COM
| bination s agent had bulldozed him into
f5selling to him at lower price than l
I would have given him.
| ''Do you state that as a fact?' asked
! Senator Vest.
| ono, - replied the witness reluctantly,
"but that was my impression. "
''Does the impression prevail among
your business acquaintances that there
! is a combination among the packers to
control the prices of cattle and dressed
| beef?' inquired Senator Plumb.
''That impression exists, responded
the witness.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When Senator Vest called the commit
tee to order this afternoon the room was
uncomfortabIy crowded with stockmen
who took great interest in the proceed
| ings, especially that part which devel-
| oped testimony concerning the FBig
| Four - Senator Vest was also highly
| interested in this phase of the investlga-
/ Mon and questioned witnesses closely in
I regard TO their experience in selling cat
| tie on the Chicago market.
| John J. Roe, a stock feeder of Saline
| county, Mo-, testified that the prices of
| cattle had deprecated fully three
! or four dollars per hundred
weight i'll the past four or five years.
''What has caused this depreciation in
| values?' asked Senator Vest.
| f'Lack OF competition, asserted the
! witness.
.'where do you sell most of your cat
tle?''
I'm Chicago
''What is the reason of the lack of
| competition there?''
81 believe it is due to the combination
between a select few of packers who have
| determined the price to be paid for
! cattle. 1t is not as it used to be before
this combination was formed-competi-
ton was nice and healthy.
nice, healthy smile OveIspread the
features of the interrogating chairman as
| this testimony was given.
! J Matthews Spann of Saline county
| Mo-, could find but one bidder on the
! Chicago market.
James Z. Banks was in the custom Of
selling his cattle on the Chicago market.
| He could find no competition there.
"Who Is the maker of prices of the cat
tie there?'' asked Senator Vest.
1.-THE Big Four, - was the reply.
"How do you known
81 don t know of my personal knowl-
| edge; that is what my commission man
| told me in confidence.
''Who Is he?
81 do not dare give his name. -
'tWhy not?
| "ChicagO packers would boycott him