The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-07
BEEF TRUST.

bGSEAE ANSoAs
The report Of Commissioner Gar
field to President Roosevelt that the
beer trust is not a trust. shows that
this embryo politician has inherited
some of the credit mobilier character
istics of his pa. II the report had been
prepared and written by the beef trust
magnates it could not have been more
favorable to the trusts nor so replete
with wilful Misrepresentation, The
statement that the beef trust is thing
Of beauty and joy forever. and is ne
cessary adjunct to the necessities of
the country does not coincide with the
recent decision Of the supreme court
Of the United States. Even the federal
grand jury which is investigating the
business methods of the trust in Chi
cago refuses to believe Commissioner
Garfield, as his statements are so far
from the truth to have any weight
with a jury.
Vi AOhtEC oAhClu hGAu a
position with the beef trust, and the
amount ne received for subscribing his
name to the report inspired by the
beef graft magnates will probably
never be known. as secrets between
attorney and clinet are considered
privileged in courts of law and no one
occupying this position can be COM
PEELED to divulge the secrets Of his cli-
ent. There ought to be more In it
than in the salary allowed by the gov
ernment. and 1t is cash in advance,
while a person holding an official posi-
tion with the government has to wait
from one to three months for his sti-
pend.
Those who are compelled to buy beef
at the local markets viii be compelled
to take issue with Commissioner Gar
field. When farmers only receive 2A
cents for beef and the round is sold
for a bit pound, and the tail goes
with the hide, it will be difficult to
make the average consumer believe
that there is only so cents profit in a
beef for which the beef trust pays
s4S.75. In the first place the beef
trust does not pay that amount, nor
one half Of it for a beef. A large per-
centage of the beef put up at the Chi
cago packing houses has to be en-
balmed as 1t is in the last stages OF
decomposition. This is put in cans
and sold to people who go on picnics
and excursions, where there is plenty
Of fresh air to Offset the odor emitted
by the canned beef.
AS result of the rotten meat en-
balmed by the beef trust, there are
$4,000 Spanish war pensioners being
supported by the government, a large
majority Of the ailments having been
produced by eating embalmed beef for
which the government paid at the rate |
of $145.25 per COW and paid for some |
of 1t twice. If the beef trust made |
S3,000,000 net profit last year, they
would have to have slaughtered every
COW, bull and steer in the world twice
over in order to make this immense
profit, according to the estimated pro-
fits submitted by Mr.. Garfield.
The report Of Commissioner Gar
field is tainted with the odor Of en-
balmed beef augmented with pletho-
ric abundance Of the profits accruing
to the beef trust. 1t reads like silly
boys essay on cows. and will prob
ably have as much weight with the
government. OF course the price paid
for the report will diminish the profits
to a certain extent, but there is very
little likelihood Of the beef trust filing
petition in bankruptcy. All that will
be necessary will be to put up the
price Of beef another notch or two un-
til another commissioner is appointed
to investigate the beef trust.