Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-03-01
ARMOUR WILL RETALlATF.
now rHE BoYCoTT or THE BUTCHERS
WILL he MET AND FOUGHT.
VIII Establish Retail shops Throughout
the City-Thc butchers To-day he
gin Their Long Threatened war
An Alleged Combine.
The fight of the Retail Butchers Asso-

Inc night of the Retail Butchers Assoc
cation against the packers of the city
Is getting to very interesting point
ana some sharp turns are expected to
ne made shortly on both sides AT the
meeting OF the butchers held last even
ing ht Turner han the association de-
elded To hereafter purchase meats from
us friends. This being interpreted
means that the association has declared
war on the Armour Packing Company
ana VIII hereafter make purchases of
meats from the other houses Just in
connection with this statement comes
the Information that in case such step
was taken the Armour company would
az once open retail shops in the city and
become competitors Of the men who are
iishtlng them. This statement is be-
ileNed by the butchers
a the meeting last evening the for
MAJ replies of the packers were received
ana We're To the effect that they had
dohe all that they deemed proper and
reasonable for the butchers and that the
rstall shops would he continued and the
charges FOR drayage would continue as
ntlttotore' 1t was when this was read
mat an expression was called for and
the members responded that they pre-
ltffed To trade with their friends This
was the scheme suggested by National
secretary Brokate during his recent
WISH here, and he also added that I'm
case q night was made necessary to pick
OUT the big one and discipline him and
the others would fail into line. For some
reason the association blames the whole
ahalr on the Armour people. and have
stated that every other firm in the city
was willing to make the desired con-
cessions but were prevented by the
stand taken by the Armours. The
butchers claim that the retail grocers of
the city are ready to work with them in
the fight, and that 1t can lie made so
forcible that it will lie felt from the
tlrst and VIII bring results at an early
date one of the members stated that
TINS morning the association would noti-
tN the national association of the action
taken and that the night was to go on
all over the country wherever the unions
are formed. This was practically denied
by President Bowes, who said the retail
ers here We're going to try to handle the
AFFAIR alone, and in case the fight was
made so strong as to be necessary the
national association was to be asked to
render assistance and carry the fight all
over the country.
The retailers also appointed a COM
mittee to investigate the alleged COM
bine of the packers in the matter of
prices and regulations for the business
and lay the whole matter before the
grand jury and try to get the packers
indicted for violation of the anti-com-
pine laws of the state. This was tried
iast summer, but no indictments We're
returned after the investigation was
made. The butchers claim to have "a
very much stronger case at this time
and they claim they will be able to Sc
cure the indictment certainly.
The packers, 1t is claimed are consid-
ering the matter of taking off the wag-
ons in the city and letting the butch
ers who buy meats from them come
after 1t in their own conveyances. They
claim that the deliveries, even with the
hXed charges for drayage, are very
much less expense than the butchers
would he put to by hauling their own
meats.
In case the packers establish retail
markets at various places in the city
and so actively into the retail trade the
situation in that business will very
much resemble the situation among the
coal men now. The owners and large
shlppa's re selling at so small proht
that the small man in the business is
being pinched to death in the struggle,
and the packers could force that un-
happy condition on the butchers in short
order If they chose to do So and vir-
tually control the situation. Many af
the butchers are afraid the packers are
ready to do it, and for that reason n
butcher who is We'll situated and doing
well said last evening that he was keep
ing out of the association, for the rea-
son that he was well off and did not
care to fight where he was liable to he
squeezed,
The association claims to have strong
organizations in forty-seven cities of the
country and that any discrimination
against one firm is certain to shake the
business up al a lively rate and cause
some action in the matter To prefer
tho meats Of one firm is hut polite way
of refusing TO buy the meat of another,
and the matter is liable to cause some
radical action shortly,
The preferment of meats will begin
this morning when the butchers give
their orders for delivery.