Bisbee daily review., 1904-05-15
FARMERS AND TRUs
The Iowa Granee Demands Re.
 From the ssRobbcr" Packers.

From the ssRobber" Packers. 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 extortiors 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 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
 the Iowa grangers, 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 robberyi 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 tc 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 cd States that laws be passed to curl 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 to time. IL provides that monopolists car be fined and imprisoned. One trust magnate in jail would soon bring the whole brood to their knees begging for pardon. President Roosevelt instead Of pnFnrCfvu ha Iox ton by recommending congress 10 pass law compelling publicity of trus, transactions as his panacea for trust ills.
 The Republican leaders in congress few leaders control all legisla tion- jumped at the recommendation of the ! and passed the law giving the new department of commerce and i labor the same power to investigate trusts as the interstate commerce com has to investigate railroads There may be some merit in publicity | but so far no results have been ac i and the doings of no trus. i nave been exposed to the public gaze. The attorney general, under the stress 1 of antitrust feeling. commenced pro- reedings 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 he market
 The worthlessness of this proceeding s apparent from the complaint of the Iowa grangers. The present attorney was attorney for the Carnegie Steel corporation and will without loubt be given trust employment when lis term of office expires. That may lccount for his delicate manner of pro 'eeding against the illegal trusts and But first and last the president is to blame in this matter. 1 He appointed Mir. Knox and can re noYe him at pleasure. A hint from resident Roosevelt would cause Mir Knox to resign, and he could appoint n his place another attorney who real J believes in preventing combinations rom raising and lowering prices.