The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-07
1T DOESN'T PLEASE.
Commissioner Garfeld's Beef Trust
Report Is Attacked.


Monday afternoon the senate took a
shot at the alleged investigation Of the
beef trust by Commissioner Garfield by
adopting a resolution, introduced by
Senator Fred DumOnt Smith
Commissioner Garfield has been order
ed to investigate the Standard Oil
monopoly methods in Kansas, the re-
bate system in which the railroads are
the Standard, and the conditions which
led the present legislature to pass
such a batch Of stringent antitrust
legislation. The senate does not wish
to have Commissioner Garfield come to
Kansas, and in the face Of prinla faeie
evidence, whiteWash the Standard Oil
as he did the beef trust.
After the resolution had been intro
duced by Senator Dumont Smith he
and Senators Wasgener and Noftzger
were appointed a special committee by
Governor Hanna to redraft the resolu-
ton as some senators thought it was
too hot and would scorch the presidents
desk at Washington when it is laid
there by his private secretary,
The special committee consulted on
the resolution and returned II 10 the
senate, as it was adopted, without tax
ing any of the scorch out OF it. The
resolution as adopted is:
whereas, The secretary of the de-
partment of commerce had made an
alleged investigation of the beef trust,
and has reported that said trust, in
spite of the enormous disparity be-
tween
and beef on the block, and in spite
of the fact that the heads of said
trust have. in the past twenty-five
years by the operation of said trust,
accumulated fortunes beyond the
dreams of aVarlces is now doing busl-
ness on a margin so small that there
is little OF no profit; and,
Whereas, The cattle industry of
Kansas has been steadily declining for
the past seven years, the price OF cat
tie going lower, and under the opera
tions of this trust there is no longer
any fixed relation between the price of
beef and the price OF corn. and that
this reduction of price has gone to
such an extent that there is no longer
any profit in feeding cattle for mar
ket, and at the same time the price
of beef on the block is being constant
" advanced to the consumer; and,
Whereas, The producer of cattle
knows that there is but one market
and one purchaser for his product, a
market that he must accept. and a
purchaser with whom he must deal
or lose his entire investment; and,
Whereas. The purchaser knows that
there is but one market in which he can
buy one Of the necessaries Of life, and
that he must buy OF the beef trust at
Whatsoever price 1t may fix, however
spoliative, or become a vegetarian, and
Whereas. Every fact known to the
public is contradictory of this alleged
investigation and report, and believing
said report is entitled to no credit, faith
or confidence, and believing that it has
been made without sufficient care and
the commission has been misled and de-
ceived, therefore. be it
Resolved by the senate, the house
c0ncurring therein, that we request the
president Of the United States to reject
this report and appoint some man with
experience. independence and nerve that
shall qualify him for the task of in
vestigating this gang of commercial
highwaymen. known as the beef trust,
to the end that the public may be fully
informed as to the sources of their enor-
nous profits and the foundations of
their colossal fortunes, and the means,
instruments and agreements by which
for a generation they have robbed both.
the purchaser and the consumer, to the
end that legislation protecting both
may be intellgently devised, and that
the light Of publicity, that light that is
destructive of all trusts and cembina-
tions, may be thrown upon the opera
lions OF this vicious and Ubiquitous con-
spiracy.
Resolved, That a copy of this resolu-
ton, certified by the president of the
senate, and speaker OF the house, be
transmitted to the president"