The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-02-05
WA Oh STOCK YARns.
Pepuiiss sraso Comnitsss o Aansas ss-
dresses Members OF tfse Leg isIature.

RePuiist sFaso ComElttss q Aansas Ads
dresses Members OF the Leg stature.
TOPEKA, Kan. Jan. 2s.-The pepUiist
state committee has issued lengthy
manifesto to the popuiist majority Of
both branches OF the legislature, de
handing legislation against the Kan
sas City Stock Yards Co. and the Kan
sas City Live Stock exchange. tits adj
dressed ITO the Populist MajoritY in
the Senate and the House Of Represen-
tatives, and begins:
In view Of the fact that there is a
general demand for relief from the exc
cessive charges OF the Kansas City stock
yards, and The further fact that a
strong lobby is now in Topeka for the
ayowed purpose OF preventing any stock
yards legislation, we desire to call your
attention to the following facts, show
ing an estimate OF the business trans
acted at the Kansas City stock yards
and the excessive profits received
therefrom." Here follows some calcu-
lations based on the last annual report
Of the stock yards company, going to
show the profits Of that concern for a
single year. The recapitulation is
given below:
Revenue for loading and unloading
cars, SIC, SOP; profit from feed, S171, S91;
yardage, cattle, 25c per head, S42S,6S3;
yardage, calves, 1Oc per head, S1O.O16;
yardage, hogs, &c per head, Sos, 446;
yardage, sheep, SC per head, S49,656;
commissions from horses and mules,
500 600; feed at horse and mule mar
ket, 500, SEQ; rentals from Exchange
building, S95, 900; total revenue received,
81, 1877, 945; deducting 80 per cent. ex-
penses, S341, 1888; net profit, S796, 561.
The manifesto concludes: Eve be-
lieve that the stock raisers Of Kansas
should have some relief from the ex-
cessive rates charged by this stock
yards company, and that these enor-
nous profits should be cut down, in
these times of low prices, when corn is
selling at II to IS cents per bushel by the
carload and is drug on the market
in the country and rotting on the
ground because the farmer is not able
to buy the material for cribs to protect
it. These same farmers, when shipping
their cattle and hogs to Kansas City,
are required to pay S. per bushel for
the corn, and 81 per hundred for hay
which their stock consumes while in
the yards"
Concerning the stock exchange, it
says:
''The association now numbers about
800, and the fees for memberships which
were first placed at $40, have been
raised to $500, which makes them
practically prohibitive, shuts out com
petition, limits the number of commits
sion firms, and compels the stock
raising public to do business with the
members of the trust. By reason
Of the red tape used and the cast iron
rules adopted by this association, the
yards are no longer an open market
and shippers are no longer able to dc
business, except through the medium
Of the members Of this trust"
TO correct these evils, we would
suggest that the legislature of the
state of Kansas enact a law to help the
! farmers and shippers of stock to this
market, which can be done.
"First-We believe the state should
appoint an inspector of feed, to be sta
toned at the Kansas City stock yards,
whose business should be to inspect
the quality Of hay, corn and oats and
the weight of the same as fed to the
stock.
"Second-The yardage should be re-
duced at least half.
"Third-A law should be passed put
ting a stop to the wholesale robbery
which is now practiced in the mat
ter of buying dead stock, At
the present time there is a desic-
eating and refining company which
is an offshoot of the stock yards COM
pany, which has a monopoly of the
dead animal business in the yards,
and no one else is allowed a chance to
buy or take dead animals from the
| Yards"