The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-05-09
The Meat Monopoists.


comment on the advanced prices of
beef because we were awaiting the
outcome of our Investigations in
cattle centers. The results of our
inquiries throughout the various
cattle centers and from reliable
sources warrant the statement that
there was combination to advance
the price of beef, and, Judging from
results, a most powerful and effective
one. Having abundant proof of the
conspiracy, we next turned our
search-lights in other directions to
find the cause for the unadvised ad-
vance.
''It is not pleasant to publish these
facts, because the dressed beef COM
panies are our allies in trade, and we
prefer to dwell in peace, but duty to
the retail butchers and the general
public outweighs business and other
sentiments. The result of our in
quiries shows that the advance in
beef products was conspiracy of
the meat magnates in revenge for the
refusal of Congress to remove the
duty from German beet sugar and
was participated in by the leading
dealers. The result of their secret
conferences was the obtaining Of
optional control Of, the cattle output
in the necessary sections, and by
holding back shipments to create an
apparent shortage. With the cattle
industry of the United States prac-
tically controlled by less than a
dozen men, such move was easy of
accomplishment by so powerful and
influential a combination. There
fore, the advance in beef products
is not the result of cattle shortages;
but the result of concerted action by
the dressed beef companies to make
the public pay for the sins of the
Sugar Trust and the shortcomings
of Congress in their behalf. It is
revenge of the Meat Trust on the
Sugar Trust for which the public is
punished.
Cattle prices in Chicago and Kan
sas City have reflected only very
small per centage of the advance in
dressed meats, and it has been diff
cult for shippers Of live cattle to
obtain even this small advance. The
conspiracy is also shown from the
following: A Western cattle dealer
bad II Car loads of cattle ready for
shipment, and a buyer for one of the
monopolists offered him such ridic-
ulously low figure that he rejected
tae offer and shipped them to Kan
sas City. The combination had been
notified Of the refusal of the buyers
bid and on arrival in Kansas City
there was no competition and the
first bid received was from a repre-
sentative of the same firm whose bid
had previously been refused. As
the price offered was below the mar
ket, the cattleman, thoroughly angry,
reshipped his cattle to Chicago,
where he met with the same expe-
rience as in Kansas City Deter
mined not to be beaten by the con-
spirators, the dealer reshipped his
cattle and succeeded in disposing of
them in Cincinnati. What further
evidence is needed to prove the COM
bination?
Besides the enormous profits re-
sulting from the advance in beef
products, the meat monopolists have
also reaped the benefit Of rise in
other meats, especially pork. All
the packers throughout the country,
large and small, were loaded from
cellar to garret with stocks of pro-
visions, the products of hogs bought
at higher prices This was in Feb
ruary, and pork sold in Chicago at
SO " barrel, and other provisions
IN 1,rorforfion C;nco &bok