The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-12
THE UBIQUITOUS BEEF TRUST.
lFrom The New VOL Heraldl
Evasion Is confession.


Evasion Is confession
By lodging investigation in open aud interpreting
technical demurrer in the Federal suit permanently en-
join their alleged conspiracy the packers constituting the
beef trust be regarded virtually admitting the damn
ing evidence presented by the Herald and which the gov
ernments temporary injunction obtained
When the Herald began its exposure OF this soulless COM
bne Tor exacting exoronate prices from the poor Tor
prime of life the packers clustered and profesed
that they would like nothing better than Judicial inquiry
into their methods They however when
the Herald piled up facts Of the eonspiracthe
ent on carriage charges the concerted baekistng OF re
dealers the combination for holding back cattle from the
western centers and for fixing arbitrary prices for beet IN
Eastern markets
As the documentary proofs OF the conspiracy were IN
earhed and published in columns the representatives, OF
the trust stopped clustering and suddenly fled with their
BOOKS ana papers beyond the jurisdiction of the New YORK
State authorities The Federal governments longer
however reached after them and the evidence furnished
ntough the erad temporary injunction was granted at
Chicago by Judge Grosscup restraining members of the
trust from alleged conspiracy in OF trade And
when the government have that Injunction made
permanent what is the of the packers
DO they welcome the opportunity bring their books and
into and endeavor to show that
their business legitmae on the they do not
attempt to deny the facts but resort legal toDeaties
to prevent the case getting before the its me
ne convincing nature of the evidence brought 70 light by
the Herald is shown by the fact that the basis Of the
suits brought against the beef y the prosecuting officers
OF New York and other States anything lacking TO
complete moral demonstration against the
binaton would be supplied by the in which has
eceded from its pretended desire for investigation and seeks
to eNade the issue Until this decided the injunction
mains elective splendid result the erads exposure Of
the souless and grasping combination.
Meanwhile Chicago dispatches report that three OF
the larger members OF the absorbing other pack
ing concerns with the purpose OF merging with them into
more definite combination by OF holding company
which shall own the shares of all 1t said that
strong interests refuse join this scheme
Il should be contaminated there presumably might be
for competition whereas under the agreement there
was absolute monopoly. But the proposed combination is
clearly opposed to public policy should be permitted
II several packing companies choose consolidate
corporation well and good The be regulated
by law the public knows where find and If tries
exact eNortonae prices to dividends inflated capt
talzauon the way will be open for competition.
But the holding company scheme whereby the several
distinct corporations would iPnce each
Quoting ostensiby separate business but alt controlled by
one hand vicious and branch and should
med It is conended that there nothing the law
prevent an individual from owning controlling interest
the several companies, and that artificial individual
known a corporation do the same This will not ho!
The protection OF natural persons many rights
to society and 1t might be expcden interfere
dentaly he should acquire control corporations
For the community tolerate such incident thing
but 1t is quite another by power an ar-
hcia person for the purpose of exercising such obuo
ious control natural person life limited laws
carefully provide against the permanent tying up
vdual estate whereas corporation endowed with pcpe-
tuy In fact the idea OF any Individual controlling an
outht the proposed combination of packing corporations
be represented by holding company with capitalization
OF $Isooooooo is not within the realm of practical discus
sion.
these corporations fully exposed the public today
has competition in the trade meats and no uuderhand
combination through holding company should be oler-
ated.