The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-03-14
ROAST GARFIELD REPORT
Representative Martin Arraians the
Commissioner - Bryan Talks
About Oil and Beef.


has report on the investigation OF the
Chicago packers.
Mr.. Martin characterizes the SUM
mary" of the report as a special plead
ing in defense of the packers, calcu-
lated to give a false impression OF
he very facts contained in the body
of the report itself. Whoever pre-
pared this preliminary summary"
says Mr.. Martin, has performed a
service to the big packing companies
nader investigation by misleading pub
lie opinion for the moment aus to the
real quality of the report"
Grave Mistake Made.
As the entire trust investigation de-
rives its life from the spur Of public
opinion, Mr. Martin considers that
grave mistake was made by Commits
sioner Garfield, particularly at this
time, when the department of justice
is engaged in a vigorous criminal pros
ecution, based at least partly on the
evidence developed by the investiga-
tion.
The summary is understood to be
the personal work of Mr.. Garfield,
and was done in hurry, just before
the report was submitted and after he
had made a flying trip to Chicago.
THE public by hasty reading of
the summary, has received the impress
sion," says Mr.. Martin, "that the com,
missioner concludes that the great
packing houses are struggling along
ait a dying rates under insignificant
progress, and il they should make any
effcrt at combining, it would be un-
successful, because their volume OF
business is too small a, part of the en-
tire meat business of the country"
Report "One-Sided."
The report is called "one4sided" in
of the big six" no effort having been
made, apparently to get amy informa-
ticn from the independent packers and
butchers, who do 55 per cent of the
meat business OF the country.
Mr.. Martin charges that the state
ment that the packers profit is small
is not correct, and the statement that
they make only SO cents ON every
steer slaughtered is not the correct ba-
sis of estimate. Nothing is said in the
report how often the packers turn over
their capital in a year, nor what the
net profits of the business are. He
calls attention to the body of the re-
port, where it is shown that the pack
ers pay from IL to 20 per cent divi-
dends ON their stock. In fact, such
immense profits have been piled up
that Individual families have been
able tu hold all the sUock in these
concerns with the exception of Swift
& Co.
Vindication of Packers.
In conclusion Mr.. Martin says:
while the report does not treat OF
Iu6 SIUJ6CI VI COLnpOCnIlO1 Vi SoIdDtAlo-
ton in restraint of trade, the so-called
summary makes use of language which
by inference conveys the impression
that there is no combination, and that
competition is complete, free and po-
tential The packers themselves put
this construction upon the document,
and consider themselves vindicated.
THE impression has resulted natur-
ally from the emphasis given in the
summary to the fact that the big six
do only about As per cent of the meat
business of the country, and that their
control, even If they acted in har-
mony, would be confined TO compara-
lively morrow limits and from the
frequent reference to the potential
competition of local butchers.
"The report, however, shows that
TIE big six concerns slaughter 9S
per cent of all the cattle killed in the
eight leading western packing cen
teps, and 1t is evident that this busi-
ness Is as completely in the control of
the six concerns mentioned as though