Bisbee daily review., 1904-02-24
FARMERS ANp rnusTs.
The Iowa Grange Demands Relied From tho "aobber" Packers. 1


 That the prosecution of the meat trust by the president through his at torney general was all buncombe and has had no effect upon its extoctiors from the farmers or the consumers has long been evident. The price of meat is 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 in vast. ly greater proportion. The Iowa grange at its annual convention discussed the beef trust and it's monopoly of both the wholesale and retail markets and the collision between the trust and the railroads. President A. B. Judson of Hillsdale. addressing she meeting of the Iowa grapgers. 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 of all competi- ton, decreasing the ability of the con- sumers to buy by keeping up the prices and crippling 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 init 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. " r>
 The demand by the people of the Unit. ed States that laws be passed to curt the trusts was too strong for even q 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 tc time. It provides that monopolists car be fined and imprisoned. One trust magnate in jail would soon bring the whole brood to their knees begging fol pardon. President Roosevelt instead | of enforcing the law begged the ques ton by recommending congress to pas, law compelling publicity of trus transactions as his panacea for trus l ills. -'s The Republican leaders in congress few leaders control all legislation | jumped at the recommendation of tn, l president and passed the law giving the new department. of commerce an( labor the same power to investigat, 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 trus have been exposed to the public gaze The attorney general, under the stres of antitrust feeling. commenced pro ceedings under the civil end of the ol' law against the packers trust and pro cured an injunction from the Unite, States court of Illinois ordering tn beef trust from combining to contro the market.
 The worthlessness of this. proceedin; is apparent from the complaint of tn
 Iowa grangers. The present attorne. general was attorney for the Carnegi
 Steel corporation and will withou doubt be given trust employment whel his term of office expires. That ma, account for his delicate manner of pro -eeding against the illegal trusts an, combinations. But first and last th
 president is to blame in this matter
 He appointed Mir. Knox and can re
 move him at pleasure. A hint iron
 President Roosevelt would cause Nil
 Knox to resign, and he could appoin
 in his place another attorney who real ly believes in preventing combination
 from raising and lowering prices.