The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-05-08
MEAT TRUST.


this particular, together with com
parison of the administrations policy
in regard TO other trusts is considered
in an article in the Springfield Mass
Republican and is herewith republished.
The administration is thoroughly
alarmed over the possible effects upon
the fall elections of the high prices Of
meat and the talk Of trust az the
cause. This il made evident by At
torney- General Knoxs summary action
in instituting proceedings against an
alleged combination Of dressed meat
houses. II is stated the Department Of
Justice has secured evidence going to
show that, while Il formal agreement
among the leading packers may not
exist, there does exist concert OF action
in the buying Of cattle in securing
special rates from railroads, and in
marketing the product. This Is to be
considered welcome news, and the pro-
gress Of the suit will be followed with
intense popular interest
1t may seem ungracious TO say that
immediate political considerations move
the government at Washington in this
matter, but when a hundred combina
tons of whose existence there Is no
doubt have been operating on the
people for several years without the
slightest effort on the part of the gov
eminent to restrain them, what other
conclusion il possible Evidence of a
meat trust was just ~ plentiful year
a. it is today. There exists in the fail
IRE Of the corn and forage crops last
year legitimate cause for much Of the
present rise in meat; and if the opera
tons and increased charges of any
trust are 10 be winked ut as having a
basis in conditions over which the trust
has no control, those Of the supposed
meat trust might reasonably be over
looked But great public Indignation is
lndIlltHlod III till' fhAb iiOIc IMAM II
has been in other cases, and important
elections are pending so the govern
ment bestirs itself in perhaps the most
dillcut OF all combination cares TO
prove cause on behalf Of the people.
1T is we'll TO take such action, no
doubt, aud after all the best Of Wash
ington administrations are swayed
largely by the political bearings of
matters. But having moved in this
case under the hitherto idle Sherman
anti trust law, the administration must
move against the other trusts all along
the line II it would preserve any ap
pearanCe Of sincerity and consistency
operation much more openly and ad-
mittedly than the supposed meat trust.
There IL the anthracite coal cumbina-
ton, whose extortions and manipula-
tons are known TO all and are indeed
Of common public record There il the
mineral oil trust whose monopoly,
maintained in devious ways, il known
OF all, and which arbitrarily marks M
the price Of oil and then pays ~ per
| cent dividends ON II heavily watered
capital There is the street trust. al
most "A matter OF national boast which
holds prices 100 per cent above normal;
ana the sugar trust, and the can. glass
leather, rubber, paper, copper chemi-
cal, fruit salt starch biscuit and many
other trusts all operating lines pro.
toundedly affecting the cost of living
| No doubt about their existence in any
Of these Cases, and no doubt about their
monopolistic purposes and efforts In
not one Of these cases is competition
mhun! or potential, so great force ~
1t IL in the case Of the alleged meat
trust which probably controls less
than half the meat output Of the
country, Government action under the
antitrust law lies no more properly
against the meat trust than against the
others and If II IL taken in one case il
should be iupartially and fearlessly ex-
tended
Whether anything will come Of the
present prosecution remains 10 be seen.
1t If doubtful The course taken by
the government offers little prospect Of
Immediate relief even surprising it to
be true that present prices Of meat rest
upon trust manipulation The more
practicable and promising method
wonld BE- 70 remove the duties on cat.
Tie and meats which might then come
IN to some extent from Canal Ia aad
aud Mexico. As test Of the trust-snp
preston virtues Of the federal anti.trus