The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-05
ALLEGES PACKERS
ARE IN CONTEMPT
Representative Wade Of lows
Charges Combination With
Violating injunction.
SAME OLD WEAPON UsED
Declares Railroads Arc Granting Re.
bates and Stock Raisers Face Ruin
Propose Congressional Action
to Secure Relief.

bates and Stock Raisers Face Ruin
Propose Congressional Action
to Secure Relief.
Washington, Feb. 3.-when Attor-
ney General Knox in 1902 proceeded
! against the packers combination and
had it enjoined from violating the anti
trust law and subsequently had this
! injunction made permanent, it was
| believed the monopoly which had been
conducted in meat and food in the
United States was destroyed.
If the statements made by Repre-
sentative NJ. ]. Wade OF Iowa today
may be believed the packers combtna-
ton is just as active as ever. Mr.. Wade
says the combination of slaughterers
and packers still is in existence, is en-
gagged in regulating by agreement and
I unity the price at which cattle, hogs
and sheep are purchased from the
farmers and stock raisers for killing;
that it is still violating the interstate
commerce law in conjunction with the
railroads of the country, but by new
device, and that it is still employing
the old weapons which it SO success
fully used for driving out of business
butchers and retail dealers who do not
sell meat and provisions to conform to
list prices.
Declares Packers Guilty of Contempt.
This is a sensational statement, but
Mr.. Wade says he can prove every al
legation. If he can prove this it will
become the duty of Attorney General
Knox to call the attention of Judge
Grosscup of the circuit court in Chi
cago to the fact that Nelson Morris G.
Co., Swift & Co., the j. H. Hammond
company, the Cudahy Packing COM
pany, Armour &. Co., and Schwarzs-
child & Sulzberger are guilty of con-
tempt of court.
If proof can be brought before the
attorney general, or if this evidence
can be obtained. no doubt steps will
be taken to bring these defendants into
court under an application for rule
to show cause why they should not be
punished for contempt of the injunc-
tion against them still in force.
This injunction, whose terms, ac-
cording to Mr.. Wade. are being vio-
lated, was directed against all the six
firms mentioned. They We're found
guilty after an extended hearing of a
conspiracy to refrain from competitive
bidding and unlawfully and arbitrarily
raising prices, keeping Checklists" OF
retail dealers, conspiring by secret re-
bates. by artificial means restraining
commerce, and putting in force abnor-
NAL and arbitrary regulations affect
ing the meat business from the ship
ment Of live stock on the plains to the
final distribution to the consumer to the
injury of the people of the United
States.
Alleged Rebates From Railroads.
Congressman Wade's allegation re-
garding indirect rebates now being
given the packers by the railroads is
important. 1t says it is accomplished
~ Il,
refrigerator cars by renting the cars to
railroads, and under this cover the re-
bate from the railroads to the packers
is concealed. Mr.. Wade has introduced
In the house of representatives a bill
which is expected to reach this ques-
ton should it be impossible to obtain
such evidence to adjudge the packers
guilty of contempt.
This bill deals with the question OF
transportation and mails. 1t provides:
ut shall be unlawful to transport
cattle, hogs or other animals from one
state into another with the purpose or
intention of selling the same or pro-
ducts thereof at such prices as will
drive competitors in any community
out of business. or with the purpose Of
selling the goods to one dealer to the
exclusion of others. in order to de-
stroy competition" The bill further
provides that any person convicted of
fine of not less than $1,000 nor more
than $4,000, shall be deprived of the
use of the mails.
Stock Raisers Banded Togther.
Representative Wade is aiding the
movement which is headed by the Corn
Belt Meat Producers association of
Iowa. At the head of the movement in
Iowa is Frederick Larrabee, son Of
former Governor Larrabee, and S. F.
CSvNor rer1a 80 flaN
neer stock raisers Of the west, who was
instrumental in scoring the esta bhsh-
ment of a department of agriculture
Iowa is taking the lead in this move.
ment because it produces more live
stock than any other state in the union
and consequently feels the hand of the
combination most severely" said Mr..
Wade today. Two hundred and fifty
leading live stock feeders and shippers
in Iowa, controlling more than 60 per
cent. of the stock shipped from the
state, met this week in Des Moines and
organized for the purpose of fighting
the packers by Withdrawals of privil-
eyes by the railroad companies. An
organization Of the meat producers in
Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Ne
braska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and
Wisconsin into one massive body to CO.
operate in retaining the rights of the
producer will follow.
Seeks Congressional Action.
This course of action may be effective"
he continued, "but propose to do every
thing In my power, assisted by my coll
leagues in congress, to get this combina-
ton through the law. l will be able to
produce plenty of proof that they are not
only lagrantly breaking the law, but that.
in spite of successful action brought
against them in 1902 by Attorney General
Knox, this great combine is still defying
the law and authority of the United
States with astonishing insolence.
THE packers combination is now as
firmly intrenched and as solidly estab-.
lished as the Standard Oil company. Ii
operates in much the same manner-ttat
is, through direct and indirect rebates
from the railroads and bringing to terms
or elimination the small dealer by ruinous
cutting of prices. 1t today is menace
to the entire nation and particularly to
the great northwest