The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-29


| present price of meat is outrageous in ou1
country which possesses such bounteous
LANDS to produce it. (Cheers.) Now, gen
| tlemen. here comes Mr. McDermott. L
have been merely entertaining you unit.
he came" loud applause during which
Mr.. Black took his seat.)
At the conclusion of Mr.. Blacks speech
Assemblyman John DENIM moved that
committee of five be appointed to draw
up suitable resolutions expressing the
sentiment of the meeting toward the
beef trust Chairman Gordon named as
such committee Frank o. Cole, Assembly
man George G. Tenant, James F.
Fielder, Warren Dixon and Thomas Nc
Evan.
When Congressman MeDermott was
espied entering the hall escorted by Di-
rector Michael B. Holmes. he was cheered
| to the echo, and when his turn came to
lspeak the chairman said: Let me in
troduce to you the first man who made
an attempt to remove the unjust tariff
on meat, the Honorable Allan L. Nc
Dermott" tremendous applause)
Stepping to the front of the stage the
Representative from the Seventh Con-
gressonal district began in Sow and
"Mr. Chairman and Fellow Citizens
The right to assemble and the right to
petition said Mr.. McDermott, "are fun
damental rocks in the foundation of
American institutions. Governments are,
in theory at least. organized for the pro-
lection of the weak We have in this
country. too, an exhibition of the inclina-
ton of the strong to oppress their neigh
bors such as would be tolerated in no
other country in the world, and it is in
the form most obnoxious to the whole
people. A few irresponsible and avar-
iclous men have entered into a con-
spiracy to control one of the prime ne
cessities of life.
I'VE have today" he continued. IAN
exhibition which wouldn't be tolerated in
any country in the world. Voice, That's
true. y We have today an exhibition in
which the necessaries of life are con-
tro.led by a few. Now what is the rem
edy? 1t is a very dangerous state of
things which permits this few to advance
the price of meat when they feel like it.
/ Nay, it is a menace. 6Cheers.) In Eng
land many years ago great merchant
was sent to jail for ferestalling' or en-
crossing the necessaries of life. In COM
fine or Imprisonment. That word fore
stal,ing' is now 'cornering or buying up
of grain, cattle or what you will in order
to raise prices and to put that right into
a few hands is monstrous. (Applause)
Over three hundred years ago statute
was passed in England making it crime
We have therefore precedent, but un-
fortunately we have no power to apply
such a remedy. (Cries OF Shame
With all due regard to the President and
Attorney General and their attempt to
prosecute those who corner the neces-
saries of life, I don't Believe under our
system there is anywhere located a. hand
strong enough to reach and crush those
engaged in monopoly. If in England,
Germany, France or Italy an attempt is
made TO do wrong to people there
reaches out the centralized governmental
hand ard the law says
| you either stop the oppression of the
people or we win take your license to
| trade away. loud and continued cheer
| ing) But here where State lines exist
and corporations are formed within then
! any corporation can be driven from
! Illinois to Indiana and to Texas, and as
| sailed in California, but if in New Jersey
| or Delaware, there is no power to take
! away its corporate life. Why? Because
| the corporation assailed in Illinois can't
| be stopped in the two States l have men
ton. What is the result? The agents
are fined. But what is a fine to those who
put a cent or TWO more pound on meat
! to deprive our children of their susten-
ance? (Cries of "Shamei') want to say
| to the people that there is absolutely no
power in the President and there is none
in the Attorney General to suppress mon
| opoy. At best the States which create
| these institutions can impose fines for
| violation of charters, and what is a fine
TO a band of conspirators, who without
| heart or conscience are in the business of
wringing with greedy hands millions out
! of the public? Men and newspapers may
! suggest remedies, but there will never be
| any remedy until the national govern
| ment has the sole power to grant life to
corporations which do an interstate busi-
ness. and until it has power to take away
that life for good cause. (Cheers.)
For the purpose of accomplishing this
1 have introduced an amendment 10 tire
federal constitution. which, in my judg-
ment and the Judgment of others VINO
! have examined it, is the way to remedy
| the great evil about which the whole
country is now crying
IF l am attacked resumed Mr.. Nc
| Dermott, after a pause, "by wild beast.
1 don't want the power to cripple it; l
want the power to kill it. (Cheers) Tie
beef trust couldn't exist for twenty min
utes If the power of doing business IN
the several States was received from the
Federal government. The best thing tho
Attorney General can do will be to bring
| suit against somebody in the Distric.
! Court-in Illinois, perhaps (Merrimenl.)
| Then it will so to the United States SUI
/ preme Court on appeal and two yeafs
| from then the court will give a decision
| Uaughter) So from the time the litiga-
| ton is started until the decision is hand
ed down the Beef Trust will be flourish
ing for three years, and that's a long time
| to wait for something to eat. (Renewej
laughter)
Therefore, appreciating this slow
method of reaching a solution, IL it De
one of the difficulty, the way / have sus-
gested is the better CApplause) 1 say,
open the doors and let in the mutton of
| Canada and the beef of Mexico until the
price of meat is lowered. (Cheers.)
That will force the Beef Trust to recog-
nize the right OF American people to live
IF President Rooseveit sent a message at