The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-12

stockman insists on rising and entering
a general ~and also a special demurrer.
This scheme is now being worked in
Arizona, in fact, in all the western
states and territories by some combine
or other Land grabbers are a blot on
Twentieth century civilization, and the
old cowboy methods of dealing with
horse thieves may have to be resorted
to in order that the rapidly disappear
ing public lands may be conserved for
the needs of the coming generations
81 regret to say that the year last
past has witnessed SO many failures
among honest, Woodworking, patient
and accomplishing Stockmen in the
United States. Without apparent rea-
son, prices began to drop, and they
have gone from bad to worse until we
see the cattle kings in the Hereford
and Shorthorn world forced into bank
ruptcy, their hard-earned fortunes
dissipated. and their careers blighted.
Will some one kindly give US a positive
reason for this loss of hundreds of mil
lions of live stock values. 1t must be
conceded that the consumption of meat
was never so great or the retail prices
never SO high. 1T must be admitted
that we still have a growing foreign
demand, rather than a closing of mar
patent to al that American labor is
today receiving the highest average
WAGES ever enjoyed in this union.
Finally, it must be conceded that
WS nave d general prosperity through
out the Union, and only the Wall street
grumblers and the army of sycophantic
sufferers hanging on the fringe of re-
spectability, who coddle their pee wee
brains that they can buck the tiger
on the stock market-and lose,-as they
always dot is only these gamblers
who have honestly bit the dust fin
ancially speaking, during the past year.
We can account for all their bad breaks
and losses. But why the producer Of
meat, who feeds the world, should he
singled out for financial destruction is
altogether another proposition. Here
is where the great combine called the
Packing Kings comes in. We all con-
cede they have made colossal fortunes.
1--WE know they have converted the
old neighborhood slaughter house, with
its odors and nuisances, to gigantic
abattoirs, where the bi-products are all
saved and every ounce of the animal is
turned to profit. We producers have
paid for the hundreds of millions now
represented by the Big Four, So-called.
We commend their success, but we pro-
test against the gigantic monopoly they
have forced on the people of the whole
cOuntry-bOth producer and consumer.
We protest against the withdrawal of
open competition in each and all of the
great markets of this country, in the
agreement made every day between the
buyers of these houses.
1--WE demand laws which will prevent
daily meetings of packers and their
agents to arbitrarily fix the prices to he
paid the hOOf and also on the block.
Every stoclzman in this country is gen
erous and willing to give and take, but
he certainly objects to giving the whole
profit of raising and feeding of livestock
to a merciless aggregation Of packing
house capitalists, who, by their actions,
want the earth 1t was these reasons
which forced a large number of the big
gest producers to meet in Kansas City
and organize The Independent Packing
Co with a capital of $5,000.000.
I'VE advocate more markets and more
packing houses. We insist on open and
fair competition. We oppose combine s
and trusts as being against good, healthy
public policy and we commend the eff
forts of men who risk their fortunes in
lettering the general condition of labor
throughout this broad land. We believe
there IS room for all and we hail all eff
forts to build up both labor and capital.
Nineteen hundred and four will be
memorable for the superb exhibition to
take place in ST. Louis, one of the feat
ures of which will be the display of the
cream of the breeding of the United
States