Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-08-04
WORLDS MEAT FOOD
IL Be a, the Mercy of
the Packers Com
h'ne.
ESTIMATED TITANIC COMBINE
WILL CONTROL AMERICA
AND EUROPE.
HoPed to Evede Law by Meroina
:. 'adependent coacerns into One
Gigantic Corporation.
BEHIND DEAL is 100000, 1000

Chicago, Aug. 4.-Belicf here has
become all but certainty that the big
packers are bringing about a consolida-
ton Of interests which Will have a
capitalization of $500 100000 and Will
practically control all the packing
business of the United States.
The giant merger, it is stated, re-
Suits directly from the presidents at
tack on the combine. 4 combination
CT different firms for one purpose
would at least be always open to at
tack IN the court, While one big firm.
owning the whole outfit, would be
perfectly safe under present laws.
Just how the merger is to be effected
is not quite clear for those most con
cerned refuse to tell anything. j. Og
den Armour may complete lne deal n
Europe; G. F. Swift may be head Of
the new corporation. or a securities
holding company may be formed.
TIE merging OF all the independent
concerns is also said to embrace the
absorption Of the fruit and poultry
industries.
According to the rules of the United
States circuit court, the Chicago pack
ers who We're temporarily enjoined
On May 20 from conspiring to fix ar
bitrarily the prices of meats should
appear today in Chicago and file
their answer to the petition for in
junction. At United States District
Attorney Betheas' Office, however, the
lawyers smile when it is suggested
that any ordinary regulation applies
to the defendants in this suit. A
prom inent member of the Office who,
when asked as to when he thought the
packers would file their answer, re-
Piled
When they get ready. | suppose. |
Certainly not on Monday"
This condition of affairs is due to |
the fact that the Judges of thhe Unit
ed States court are now enjoying their
summer vacation, and it would be i'm
possible for the district attorney or
the attorney general of the United
States even to force the packers to
comply with court rule. in the absence
OF any court before which to make
complaint.
Not before September. it is said
are the judges likely to resume their
labors, and meanwhile the case will
be in suspense, with tse temporary
injunction, of course. in effect. That
the packers have no intention of fl
ing their answer today became ap-
parent when inquiry was made of the
attorneys representing packing house
interests. |.
These answered that John S. Mil |,
Ter was the only man who could give
any information as to when answer !
would be filed. I
At Mr. Miller's Office it was said that I
he was out of town on vacation and q
would not be back for several weeks. /
NJ eanWh1le, according TO employees OF a
Mr.. Miller's Office, no one is empower 1
ed to act on the beef trust matter in '
Mr.. Miller's absence. No one else has c
any knowledge of the case. c
The absorption of the Hammond o
Packing house interests by Armour & v
Co. officially announced Friday, will S
1ot cause any alteration of the prose 4
cution of the injunction suit by the a
United States. nor will the injunction e
be affected by the absorption, since
t applies to the business of both Ar
nour and Hammond interests and con- II
to the new concern. c