The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-01
s;:..., THE BEEF TRUST.
4.aour's Houston Representative Ex-
plains the Situation,
a MATTER OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
The Alleged Demonstration OF the Pack
ing Business in General Was
Emphatcally Denied.

Mr.. George Mari. the Houston repre-
sentative Of Armour & Co. was Inter
viewed yesterday concerning the alleged
beef trust. With view to ascertanig the
true lnwarducss Of the situation, the cause
of present prohibitiye prices OF meats and
The probable duration OF the corner
Mr.. Marr emphaticaiiy denied TINT the
packers had combined to raise prices, 'here-
by forcing a suffering public 10 pay them
an unreasonable profit. lie attributed the
general hue and cry about tie alleged beef
trust to j. pierpont Morguns activity in
merging great corporations ana establishing
invlncibu monopolies la railroads and ship
ping. The recent operations OF tie great
hnanclcr had attracted public attention TO
any aud every unusual movement in the
commercial world. and the politicians found,
In the stringent condition Of the neat mar
ket--due to the scarcity Of supphes-a good
opportunity to rIake campaign thunder, md
they have, with one accord, raised the
raucous cry OF "wof, wolf.' when there
is 10 wolf.
Mr. MaIr conceded that prices were algh.
but said th2t II was the natural result of
conditions over which the packers have no
control and maintained that while tine
packers were making money the stock rails
ers Of the country we're prohtlug enormous
ly. thus demonstrating that hardship on
the poorer class OF consumers was an un.
qualified blessing for the producers He
said that the poor white man and the negro
have been in the habit Of eating porter
house, and nothing hut porterhouse. be
cause the market was easy aud prices suit
ed their purse, but such thing would
never be dreamed OF III Europe. Whrle
meats are high and whore the nner sradca
arc considered , ,nxpry obtoip3blo only f.,
~ '' -
persons having ample means
Moreover IN coudemn.ug the packers
rrtbcpt N trIal and vvithopt giving tbouobt
10 Tue true state "l ahal'' tue pe"Pv' -
pecally those Of Texas. hc said, should
sion and gopetdcr tbo lasting bonants ,nu
49, =,
lcIieh upoh luz VuuhI' ny ''. '"'e 49,
Armour who established mutket Ini Ilo
ducers aud openod up a vast trade which
has helped greatly 10 make Ipyus the
prospprous columnity-eoitb Ia lis today Ie
Invited a comparison of prices today bud
those existing ten or even uyc Years ago.
meat market hr dpfi1r,d we- ID .imrle
matter of supply ana demand. and the
Whole question hinged upon an uc1or1bie
law. The figures IN the ease illustrate the
truth OF the assertion with a pmDry of
words. For example, the receipts OF hogs
al hve NJ six cf the most prominent mar
kcts from March total 3,N1,OOp against
2,aJDOcV wear ago-a decrease Of $4,000.
That Is the official report ny TO last sat
urday April 20 The average weight of
'hese hog, IS abont 20 per cent less than
ne corresponding weight ar the same lime
asst yea. Putting Inc shortages together.
I makes net decrease ot approximately
4 per cent Of live weight during that dine.
me average price Of hogs last week was q
ents q pound nearly 10 cents dressed out.
Inc bacon sides after being smoked, NE
cents n pound. lhe condition of the
.toc6 Us much poorer than last year or inc
previous year shipments indicating de-