Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-02
AFTER THE
MEAT 1IIIl.UST.
g.. g.:
JUDGE WADE SAYS siAT HIS
BILL WILL HELP oPLE,
OF IOWA
COMBINE HURTS TRADE
COMBINE HURTS TRADE
S. Says the Iowa city Congressman
Since Iowa is the Nations Biggest
/ Stock Producing State 1t Is, He
Says Most Interested in the Bill.
[BY H. j. MAHIN.l
Washington Bureau of the Courier.
Washinnton n G. Feb 4

Judge Wades bill aimed at the beef
trust introduced last week in the
house., which is the most important
measure he hes introduced sincc talk
ing his seat i'll congress, Eas DrcIght
him into sudden fame as a trust
buster" Two years ago the beef
trust was convicted by Attorney Cen
'eral Knox and enjoined from entering
Into the very operations that Judge
Wade declares it is now pursuing in
Iowa If this be true the owners and
managers of the big packing houses
are liable to Imprisonment or any 9th
er punishment for contempt of court.
New Organization Formed.
The matter has attracted general at
tention and is given great weight by
the recent meeting of $50 stock dealers
and meat producers at Des Moines,
who formed the Corn Belt Meat Pro-
ducers' association, organized express
iy for the purpose of fighting the meat
trust. TIE Importance of the matter
to Iowa is obvious when it is recalled
Iowa is. The greatest stock raising state
In the union, the value Of her stock
product in 1900 being more than $751;
00G,DC1 more Than that of her nearest
competitor, Illinois. Judge, Wade de-
clares that he is going to push Jthe mai
ter to the end. feeling that he has the
tcomhined backing OF the stock deal
ers and meat producers, of Iowa in a
{EondIartisaR movement. One of the
leaaers Of the movement in lowe is
\ Frederick Larrabee. son of ex-Govern-
lor. Iiarrahee, and S. F. Spangler. one
'Nof the pioneer stock raisers of the
west, who was instrumental in n'secur-
ing. the tablishment, of the depart
ment of agriculture.
Heaviest Stock Producing State.
Iowa is taking the lead in this
movement because it produces more
live stock than any other state in the
union and consequently feels the hand
of the trust most severely" said Mr..
Wade last night '"Two hundred fifty
of the leading stock feeders and ship
pers in Iowa, controlling more than 60
per cent of the stock shipped from the
state met last week in Des, Moines and
: organized for the purpose of fighting
(. the meat TRUST and the withdrawal of
privileges by the railroad companies.
Organizations of meat producers in
Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Ne
braska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and
Wisconsin into one massive body to
cooperate in retaining the rights of
the producer will follow. The situa-
ton is so serious that those interested
do not feel that they can wait for the
slow process of the law which in any
event seems to be quite ineffective and
in consequence one or more indepen-
dent packing plants will be establish
ed by this organization, the stock to
be subscribed by its members. The
= first plant will be established either in
Des Moines, Chicago or Omaha.
- 'This course of action may be ef-
fective," continued Mr.. Wade, 4but I
propose to do everything in my power
e assisted by my colleagues in congress
to getlat this trust through The, law. l
will be able to produce plenty of proof
that they are not only breaking the
law flagrantly but that in connection
} with the successful action brought
against them in 1902 this great COM
. bine is defying the law and the au-
thority of the United States with as.
tonishing insolence.
How the Trust Operates.
"The packers trust is now as firm
ly entrenched and as solidly estab-
lished as the Standard Oil Co. 1t oper-
ates in much the same manner: e,
through direct and indirect rebates
from the railroad and the bringing to
terms or elimination of the small deal
er by rrinous cutting. of prices. 1t is
today menace to the. entire nation
and particularly to the great north
west.
"!fhe present object Of the meat
trust is to control retail trade and ter
inmate local slaughtering. They send
their agents to every town and city,
large and small in the various terri
tories which the different concerns
have divided among themselves to a
nicely and call upon the local meat
shop proprietor. They first attempt
to sell their products to all the deal
ers in the locality. If this is unsuc-
cessful they try to secure one dealer
to handle their output at special prices
and to so cut the prices as to drive
the other retailers out of. business or
bring them to terms. If the trust is
unable to secure a local dealer to act
as their. agent they. start an independ-
ent store and sell at prices that the
local man is unable to compete with
Provisions of Bill.
Representative Wade's bill which
was introduced last week and referred
to the committee on the judiciary,