Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-28
FARMERS AND TRUSTS.
Hhe Iowa Grange Demands Relief
From the "RObber'' Packers.


From the "RObber' Packers.
That the prosecution of the meat
,rust by the president through his ct
torney general was all buucoTnbe a::a
has had no effect upon its eXtortions
from the farmers or the consumers has
,Oug been evident. The price of meat
* still far above what it should be,
considering the price paid by the trust
for live stock. While the butchers
have reduced the price of meat some
what from the highest point the price
of cattle and hogs has declined i'll vast
~ greater proportion. The Iowa grange
at its annual convention discussed the
beef trust and its monopoly of both the
Wholesale and retail markets and the
collision between the trust and the
railroads. President a. b. JudSOn Of
HillSdale. addressing the meeting of
Che Iowa gransers. said:
Instead of supply and demand con-
trolling the market we have the meat
combine and the packers trust. which
have the credit of fixing the price of
live stock every afternoon for the next
day, thereby shutting off all competi-
ton, decreasing the ability of the CON
sumers to buy by keeping up the prices
and Gripping the ability of the farmer
to sell by forcing down the price of
farm products.
What will be the inevitable result
of this system of highway robbery?
How long will the Iowa farmers sub
NIT to this outrageous system of stand
and deliver every time the demand
comes from the packers:"
The Iowa grangers and their brother
farmers, those of them who are Re
publicans, have only themselves to
thank for the exactions of the packers
trust. The bond between the Republic
an leaders and the trusts is patent to
every one who cares TO investigate
The legislation against the trusts by
the Republican congress was not in
tended TO suppress the trusts or stay
their eXactiOns.
The demand by the people of the Unit
ed States that laws be passed to curb
the trusts was too strong for even
Republican congress to ignore Some
thing had TO be done, and new but use
less Legislation was enacted The Re
publican leaders knew that the old an
thrust law was sufficient if enforced
TO bring the most powerful combine 10
time. 1t provides that mOnOpolists can
he fined and imprisoned. One trust
magnate in Jail would soon bring the
whole brood to their knees begging for
pardon. President Roosevelt instead
Of enforcing the law begged the ques-
ton by recommending congress to pass
a law compelling publicity of trust
transactions as his panacea for trust
ills
The Republican leaders in congress
a few leaders control all legislation
jumped at the recommendation of the
president and passed the law giving
the new department of commerce and
labor the same power to investigate
trusts as the interstate commerce com
mission has to investigate railroads.
There may be some merit in publicity,
but so far no results have been ac-
cOmplished, and the dOings of no trust
have been exposed to the public gaze.
The attorney general, under the stress
of antitrust feeling, commenced pro-
ceedings under the civil end of the old
law against the packers trust and pro
cured an injunction from the United
States court of Illinois ordering the
beef trust from combining to control
the market
The wOrthlessness of this proceeding
is apparent from the complaint of the
Iowa grangers. The present attorney
general was attorney for the Carnegie
Steel corporation and will without
doubt be given trust employment when
his term of office expires. That may
account for his delicate manner of pro
ceeding against the Illegal trusts and
combinations. But first and last the
president is to blame in this matter
He appointed Mr. Knox and can re-
move him at pleasure. A hint from
President Roosevelt would cause Mr.
Knox to resign, and he could appoint
in his place another attorney who real
iy believes in preventing combinations
from raising and lowering prices.