The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-28
Government Officials Expect to
Prove a Conspiracy on Part
of the Meat Trust.
REBATES BY THE RAILROADS.
Testimony Secured by the Inter.
state Commerce Commission
Will Be Utilized-Com-
bine Was Favored.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington, April 2.-That District At
torney Bethea Of Chicago. and former Judge
w. A. Day will be able to conclusively
prove the existence of the beef trust is the
firm opinion Of those familiar with the evil
dence which has been gathered under the
, direction of Attorney General Knox to sub
stantiate their application for an Injunction
to restrain the monopoly from continuing
the powerful combination that has made
meats of all kinds luxury.
1t will first be necessary to prove that Q
contract or combination has been formed
in restraint of trade. or commerce. among
the several States Of the Union. or with
foreign nations. such as is declared to be IL
legal by the Sherman antitrust law. under
which the proceedings are being brought.
That such a combination. the object of
which has been to monopolize the beef trade
has been formed. and is In actual operation.
will be shown by the authorities conclusive
ly by cumulative evidence.
Cut Rates to the Trust.
It will be demonstrated in the cut rates
given by the railroad companies to the beef
trust. the existence Of which was proved by
the investigations of the Interstate Com
merce Commission in March Of last year.
1t will again be demonstrated by evidence
showing that the great packing houses
which compose the big Six" have acted in
concert in advancing or lowering the price
OF meats to their customers.
1t VIII be proved by the agreement known
as the credit agreement" under which any
customer who Is delinquent to any one Of
the trust houses IL black-iisted ana refused
credit by all other memuers of the trust.
Thts evidence viii be corroborated by the
testimony Of Independent deaiers who have
been undersold and crushed by the trust;
Dy the evidence Of caItiemen, showing an
To b.o t.,V h..
trust firms for cattle. and by the testimony
OF former employees of trust houses, who are
familiar with the workings Of the great
combination.
Railroad Concessions.
In its bearing upon the existence of con-
splracy within the meaning Of the Sherman
antitrust. the evidence taken by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, for which
former Judge Day acted as counsel. is i'm
portant 1t shows that the concessions
made in freight rates were gwen to all Of
the trust houses and were refused to other
freight traffic manager OF the Rock Island
Railroad, testified that a concession of 8
cents from the published schedule was
given to the trust houses.
q. j. Grammer, general traffic manager
OF the Lake Shore road. gave evidence of
the same tenor. showing that all of the
trust houses were permitted without ques-
and hat they acted as a unit. Other evil
dence. some Of 1t documentary. was gath
cred in the hearings before the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Arbitrary Regulation.
II Is understood that the arbitrary regu-
lation of prices and the reduction Of ship
ments to points where 1t was Intended to
advance the price. have been gathered by
Mr. Bethea in Chicago. The letters writ
ten by P. l. Hughes, Eastern manager for
Cudahy & Co. will also be used as proof
OF this practice. f -
Attorney General Knox Is In possession
or copy Of the credit agreement, show
Ing that the trust houses in the sales of
their products acted practically as a single
concern. He has also copy Of the cart
age agreement" under which all Of the
trust houses agreed to make the customer
pay for the delivery of the purchases.
Although this evidence IS believed to be
conclusive In establishing the existence of
the conspiracy. 1t is understood here that
Mr.. Bethea and former Judge Day have be-
gun other lines Of inquiry which are ex-
pected to make the Governments case i'm
pregnable. The Department Of Justice is
confident that the proceed dings which are
about n hA hArTfp eat