The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-05-14
DRESSED BEEF INQUIRY.
REPORT OF SENATOR VESTS PRO-
LONGED INVESTIGATION.

| the to nest
/ Remedies.
| Washington dispatch: The report OF
the special committee OF the Senate APP
pointed in May, 1Sss, on the transporta-
ton and sale of meat products has been
presented TO the Senate by the chairman,
Mr.. Vest. 1t is a long document, accom-
panied by a copy OF the testimony taken
| by the committee I'm prosecuting its in
quiries ut st. Louis. Chicago, and New
York. and is signed by all the members
of the committee-Messrs. Vest, Coke,
| Plumb, Henderson, aud Farwell.
The several legislative measures pro-
| posed by the committee TO remedy the
evils OF the traffic are set forth in Mr..
| Vests statement in the report or the
| Senate proceedings. The committee
| says that when the examination OF wit
neSses began in st. Louis it was evil
| dent that conflicting influences were at
work. especially in the international
| Cattle Range Association, and that in
| dustrious efforts were being made TO
| prevent the inquiries OF the committee
affecting injuriously the dressed beef
| interests OF Chicago.
There was no diversity OF opinion
among the witnesses as to the price and
as TO the fact that the methods OF selling
| peel cuJllc ndu Decu ItNOlublou-
| lied in the last ten years The revolu-
tion took the form of concentration OF
the market for cattle at few points,
with the controlling market at Chicago.
| This change, the committee says, is due
principally To the fact that a few enter
prising mem at Chicago are able,
through their enormous capital, TO CEN
tralize and control the business at that
| point
The dressed beef and canning bust
ness is practically in the hands OF four
establishments in Chicago-ArmOur *
| Co., Swift IL Co., Nelson, Morris q Co.,
| and Hammond Il Co. Whatever differ
| ence of opinion is expressed as TO the
| existence of n combination between these
| firms not TO bid against each other in
| the purchase OF cattle there was no
| hesitation ON the part OF witnesses, even
when obviously preiudiced in favor of
the packers, in stating that the control
of the market was absolutely in the
grasp Of these four houses if they chose
| to exercise Ii.
As result OF the influence OF these
houses the committees noticed rcluct-
ance en- the part of cattle rasers and
commission men TO testify to facts or
opinions which might prejudice them in
curry which the committee was directed
to make was as to the existence of
combination "by reason of which the
| prices OF beef and beef cattle have been
| SO controlled and affected rs to d minish
the prices paid the producer without
Iessening the cost of OF meat TO the con-
sumner"
The facts developed. some OF which
| are detailed In the report, the committee
thinks prove overwhelmingly a combina-
ton such as is described i'm the clause
| Of the resolution quoted above. The
| committee quotes a statement from Mr.
| Armour's testimony that beef cattle had
| Increased more rapidly than population
| during the last five years, from which
| he argued that the low prices of beef
| cattle are partly due to Overproductlon.
! This argument, the committee states, Is
not warranted by the facts, and the COM
mittee has no hesitation in stating that
a combination exists at Chicago which
controls the market and fixes the price
OF beef cattle i'm its own interest.
The railroad trunk line, says tho COM
mittee, controls the entire meat traffic
of the country in the interests of the
railroad companies. Comparing the
railroad charges on car of wheat and
a car of dressed beef, the committee
shows a discrimination in favor of
dressed beef OF about 60 per cent. AS
| To the remedies TO relieve the situation.
the committee says that Congress, i'm the
| bill recently passed by the Senate on the
| subject of trusts, has gone so far as its
| power extends. State legislation must
supplement that by Congress 10 punish
| combines operating within theState lines,
| and active, intelligent officials must be
| found TO enfore the laws enacted.
IF the Federal and State authority
| shall thus act in concert and the other
| legislation rs TO unjust discrimination
by railroads I'm transporting cattle, the
removal of quarantine restrictions as to
American cattle shipped TO Great
Britain, and the breaking up Of the mo-
nopoly in the steamship carrying trade
of cattle to foreign ports be enacted, we
have great confidence in obtaining re-
| lief from existing evils"
II conclusion the committee saws:
"If the cattle-rascrs OF the United
States are only true TO themselves, the
immediate future promises deiverance
| from present evils. There Is no excuse
| for panic The worst feature of the
| cattle trade is the fact that so many
COWS and calves are being thrown upon
the market; the indication being that
| producers are panic-stricken, and
anxious TO realize now without regard
to the future. There were marketed at
Chicago during the last year 3,O23. PSI
cattle, OF which from % to 20 per cent
were cows, and per cent were calves.
THE cattle-raisers OF the United
States should be and are the most com
petent judges as to their own interests,
but il they will accept a suggestion from
those whose duty it has been for months
TO examine the cattle question I'm all its
aspects, they will cease marketing their
breeding and immature stock and pre-
prepare for q larger supply aud
| brighter future 1t is only question
OF time. and very brief time, when the
| problem will be that OF supplying our
own people with beef without regard to
foreign markets"
(IaHsfOne I'm In