The morning call., 1894-08-03
TO STOCK=RAISERS
Cattle Men of the Plains
Ruined and Destitute.
Effects of the Great Meat Monopo-
lists MethOds-EffortS to Wipe
Out a Great California
Industry.

II there are any Californians who doubt
the statements that have been so often
repeated of the deadly effects Of the great
combination of meat monopolists of Chi
cago upon every interest associated with
that industry they should investigate the
present condition of the stock-raisers in
all that section of the country east of the
Rocky Mountains, and who are WIDELY
dependent for the sale of their stock upon
the markets of Omaha. Chicago, Kan sas
City and ST. Louis.
In all these cities the great monopoly is
in complete control. Its unlimited capital
has enabled IL to freeze out and destroy
all dealers other than itself, and thus to
ruin all parties not under Its control. By
the same means the monopoly has sue
ceeded lin making favorable combina-
tions with all the railroads in every direc-
tiou, and to secure to itself such favorable
rates for transportation as to cut off all
attempts at independent action by persons
outside of its own circle.
The operations Of the great monopoly
and its unlawful combinations with the
railroads have enabled it to fasten upon
the necks OF the people OF the East a
grinding and degrading supremacy in the
whole people have protested and protested
In vain But 1t is upon the livestock men,
those who have built up the livestock in
terests of the plains to its once mag
niicent position, that the heavy hand of
the big four" monopoly falls with the
most crushing effects. The cattle lords Of
lew years since have vanished; their in
dustry, once SO prosperous and apparently
founded upon rock of impregnabe
power and strength, has passed into the
control of the Chicago combination, and
the one-time prosperity which dstin-
guished those engaged in the stock-raising
Industry above all others has completely
disappeared. The cattemen Of the East
eTn Slope are all Dankrupts. In Denver.
Cheyenne, New Mexico and Texas and in
all The centerS of the StOck-raising DuSi-
ness these men, who were always regarded
as conspicuous examples of prOfusiOn,
wealth and liberality, are absolutely des-
tltute; they have been compelled tn sacr-
fee their rich homes and the comforts of
the past and are reduced to condition of
dependence that Is all the more eXaSperat-
ing to bear because it has been brought
about, not through any msmanagement
of their own, but by the tireess and de-
structlve Vaccinations of a cold-blooded
monopoly OF Chicago capitalists.
The point has arrived where, IL the
cattle-raiser wants to dispose Of his stock
sell-the monopoly. Does he wantt to ship
to the cattle markets of the East he finds
those markets absolutely closed to all
buyers except of this same monopoly who
fix the daily prices. The railroads stand
in with the monopoly and charge the in
dividual cattle-grower one price Tor trans
pOrtaton and the monopoly lesser one.
The cattle-ralser finds but one prospect
and that barred on every side by this
gigantic monopoly.
Now, if the same tactics pursued at the
East were introduced into California the
same results would surely follow. The
stock-raisers of the coast would be ruined
aud their industry destroyed 1T the
local consumption of meats could be con-
trolled by one party. healthy competition,
which has heretofore proved the salvation
of our own stock-raisers, would disappear
and the interest in control of The local con-
sumption would not only dictate the price
TO the consumer of meats. but also fix its
own price for stock. The stock-raisers
would be at the mercy of such a com bna-
tion. There is 500, 900 invested in
stock and ranches in the State to-day, and
thousands of men deriving profitable sub
sistence therefr0m. Could such an inter-
est be destroyed without seriously affect
ing every individual and every business
ON the coast? Certainly not. The whole
people are vita!ly interested in this Ques-
ton. A great issue is at stake.