The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-24

IL II wonderful 70 behold the calm tn0tf-
ference with which the American people
contemplate the open. shameless. remorse-
less destruction Of . chisf industry Of the
country. which b capable Of indefinite ex-
tension. not only with immense profit TO
those directly engaged IN II but to the enor-
nous bestsrmsnt Of the general welfare.
Openly, VIGOROUSLY. In plain view Of The
whole country, the great dressed-beef COM
bins, ajdsd and abetted by leading trans
portation companies, b ruthlsssly destroy
ing the great cattle industry. which. BY
reason Of it. close relations to grain-grow-
Ing and farming in general, II Of first-class
importance.
II IL matter Of statistics that as result
of the operations Of this combine and its
allies the price OF beef cattle has been
steadily borne down. while the price Of the
butchersd meat has - steadily appreciated.
Stock raissFs have appealed in vain for
remedial lagislssion. have appealed in vain
for fair treatment BY transportation COM
paniss. have attempted in vain 70 protect
Themselves BY cooperative arrangements.
and one BY one, In hopsisss discourage
ment. are dropping out at the business.
The supply IL decreasing and unless ROM
sdies are devised the time h coming when
bssl viii become luxury which none but
the wsll-to-do can afford 10 enjoy.
This In face Of the recsntiy-reported
fact that during The past ysar The prizes Of
corn has fallen 20 low that the Illinois
farmers have expended q least ten million
dollars more In raising their corn crop
than they can obtain for II. and IN the
great corn states Of Kansas and Nebraska
that staple commands but II TO Is cents
bushei. with = crop in the two states OF
about four hundred and atty million bush
els. . large portion Of which il being con-
sumed for fuel.
Il h claimed that difference Of cents
pound in the price Of besf cattle would In
the stats q Iowa convert los into profit In
The matter Of raising and fattsning them.
and would make = difference Of fifteen
millions per annum In The receipts Of the
farmers of that state, which differences and
more thsy are entitled TO and would real
iss II the transportation companies would
give them The same terms that are given 70
the great monopoly arm Of Armour q Co.
In addition to thess destructive discrimi-
nations at home, mainly By agencies which
The government has created, ostsnsibiy for
the public benefit and use. Is the hostile
action Of foreign governments against our
cattle on the plea that our herds are
affected BY pleuro-pneumonia- Under the
operation Of this discrimination European
stocks, and the stocks Of other countries
from which they draw their supplies. have
considerably advanced. while ours have
more considerably deprecated And a.
though the disease. under governmental
direction. has been effscsually stamped out
country--it Is nov confined to less than .
dozen counties. ell in the farther Eastern
states-yet representatives Of the industry
who have Travelled all over Europe make
grave complaint thatrhe facts OF the case
have not been made public in those coun-
tries. and II is more than limited that the
influence of the cruel monopoly has pro-
cured the suppression Of these facts.
II is evident that just measure OF Pfo-
lection 10 the cattle industry would be OF
inestimahie value 10 the entire agricultural
interest. would effect material reduction
in the price Of this food staple TO ell the
people, and would vastly add to the national
wealth.
Is IL possible that this great American
people lacks the power or the integrity %
cope in regard to matter of such trans
cendent importance with this cruel, selfish
| robber monopoly and its graceless allies