The morning call., 1890-05-07
THE MEAT QUESTION.

The facts brought out by Senator Vests
Committee on Meat Products are of interest
to every portion of the country. The COM
mittee's report proves that while the price
paid for cattle to the producer has been de-
clining for several years the price paid by
the consumer has been increasing; the differ
ence going into the pocket Of mddlemen,
who have practically established a mo-
nopoly of the trade in meat These mid
dlemen are controlled by four beef-packing
firms in Chicago, with the great house of
Armour Il Co. at their head. By means of
cast-ir0n contracts with the railroads, these
houses prevent shipments of cattle from the
grazing States to other houses than them
selves, except at ruinous rates Of freight.
Thus having the grazing interest at their
mercy they dictate the terms on which they
will buy cattle, WHILE on the other hand,
they establish tariff for dressed meat from
which they will not deviate. Their capital
and credit are such that they have crushed
out competition and are complete masters
Of the situation.
The case is different here in the respect
that we have no middlemen. The cattle
raiser has his house in San Francisco, and
sells direct TO the butcher. Thus the gain
derived from the recent advance in meat
products goes into his pocket, while it comes
out of the pocket of the consumer. 1t is be-
lieyed that the wholesale price of meats is
exOrbitant, and that with the large cattle
ranges in this State, Nevada, Utah. Arizona
and Oregon, beef and mutton should be
cheaper than they are. But there appears
to be no remedy. The cattle barons can
not be forced to sell below the price which
they deem adequate. and no law can be
brought to bear upon them, if they agree,
as they do at present not to cut prices upon
one another. The consumer has no relief
if competition does not come to his assist
ance.
1t is different in the East 1t Is quite
within the power OF State Legislatures and
of the Interstate Commerce Commission to
invalidate railroad contracts which dis
crmiDate between one cattleman and an
other or one cOnsignee and another, and
which in effect compel the cattle-raisers of
Iowa, New Mexico, Texas. Montana and
Idaho to ship to one of the four firms and
to no one else. Such contracts are in vio-
latiOn of public policy, and would be de-
clared void by any court If they were got
out of the way the meat trade would adjust
itself on the regular basis OF supply and
demand. Statistics prove that there are
more beef cattle in this country. in proper
LlOl W pOpuldllOI, tueIG were lN6uly
years ago. There is no reason why meat
should be dearer in the retail markets.
On how unsound a basis the present trade
in meat products rests is shown by the
slaughter of cows. two-year-olds and calves
for meat. Such wanton extravaganza can
only be explained on the theory that cattle
raisers have been impoverished by the ex-
actions of middlemen. and are forced to
realize on every animal that will sell. That
is, however, also the case In States like Cal
ifornia, where the beef barons have no
such reason to sacrifice their property
| One seldom sees a steer in market that will
dress over 900 pounds, and most of them
run to much lower figures; while as to
sheep, the animal is unknown to our retail
butchers. They deal in tough lambs,
which long march over dusty roads have
converted into mere bone and sinew. We
neither have the delicate, tender spring
lamb of the East-whicb, with mint sauce
and leaf of lettuce, is dish for Lucullus
nor have we anything like the juicy,
nutritious four and five year old Sheep a
chop from which is a dinner for laboring
man. Yet for this immature beef and
stunted mutton we pay as high prices as
they do in New York for the genuine ar
| ticle