Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-16
STOCKMEN TALK.
4 Large Convention at Tepeka-The ResO-
lutiOns Strongly Condemn the Beef Com
bine-Preparing to Fight.

Il
4 Large Convention at Topeka-The Reso-
| lutions Strongly Condemn the Beef Com
bine-Preparing to Fight.
| TOPEKA, Kan, Jan. 9.-The StOck-
mems convention, held yesterday, was
attended by about 400 representative
men and was organized by the election
! Of S. o. Thacher, chairman, and w. A.
PETER, secretary. After the usual
preliminary work the organization was
made permanent. A Anumber of thought
full papers were read and then the next
meeting of the as .ociation was fixed
for the second Wednesday in January,
1891.
The following delegates to the Texas
convention were appointed: S. o.
Thacher, p. P. Elder, G. W. Click, J.
G. Van Bentham, William Sins, Robert
Atkinson and Charles Robinson. After
interesting talks on the growing beef
and cattle trade by President Thacher
and Ex-Governor Robinson, the COM
mittee on resolutions reported as fol-
lows:
| WHEREAS, The stock breeders and stock
| feeders of the State of Kansas, mindful of
the irreparable wrongs and financial losses
they are sustaining by reason of the low and
| unremunerative prices in the chief markets
of the country paid for cattle and hogs, and
the high prices demanded of the consumers
| for cut meats,
WHEREAS. The entire cattle and hog mar
ket has been forced to Kansas City and Chi
| cagO by a combination of dressed beef buy
ers in cOllusion with the railroad companies
so that these points have become the only
principal markets for the sale of cattle and
hogs, and
! WHEREAS. This combination of buyers are
the only parties in the country to buy, sell
| sell and distribute these products, we being
compelled to ship all our cattle and hogs to
these two markets, because our local mar
kets are destroyed by the combine having
taken possession of them, and
| WHEREAS. This combine has been despof-
| ing us of our fair and just profits for five
| years past, menacing and bankrupting every
producer and breeder who does not submit,
and
! WHEREAS, The combine has laid its grasp
upon the export trade in beef and cattle on
! foot, and claims to be beyond the control of
State laws. Therefore be it
| Resolved, That we appeal to Congress to
enact surn laws as shall nullify and for
ever destroy the power of this dressed
! beef combination, or any combination
| made for the purpose of destroy
! ing compel tiOn in this trade; that
| any such combination shall be declared to
be a criminal conspiracy and shall be made
! subject to heavy penalties; that the same
act shall provide for National inspection
law which shall require the local inspection
of all cattle slaughtered for purposes Of
American consumption.
Senators Vest and Plumb were in
dorsed for their acts in behalf of the
cattle raiser. Also, resolution was
passed asking Congress to provide for
State inspection; also, one for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver, which
shall be full legal tender for all debts.
The resolution in full was unanimously
adopted. \ resolution asking Congress
to abolish the tax OH oleomargarine
was tabled with a rush.
By resolution auxiliary county socie-
ties were provided for to aid in the
work begun Yesterday. An executive
committee of seven was ordered by the
convention. a resolution asking the
next Legislature to regulate the prices
charged at the Kansas City stock yards,
making them propOrtiOnate to the
prices of cattle, and giving the Board
of Railroad Commissioners plenaTy
powers over the yards, was adopted
without dissenting vote.
The executive committee was named
as follows by the chairman: Atkin-
son, of Franklin; Harris, of Leaven-
worth; Raymond, of Morris; Ramsey,
of Dickinson; Sims, of Shawnee; Can
non, of Phillips; Hubbard, of Sumner.
On motion the chairman and secretary
were made members of the committee.
The most intense feeling was mani
tested every time allusiOn was made to
the Big -Four combine, which all the
speakers claimed stood between mil
lions of producers and millions
of consumers. When some MEM
ber of the convention said
the Legislature could do nothing,
that it was in the power of the trusts,
the members of the convention as one
man declared that this year there
would he different Legislature elected
and men would be sent to Topeka who
would not fear to face the combines
and trusts. Adjourned.