The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-01-07
ON IN
BEEF TRUST CASE
United States Supreme Court the
Trial Tribunal
SWIFT & CO.'S LAWYER
CONTENDS THAT. cHARc rs ARE
TOO GENERAL AND THAT
BUSINESS or Packets IS
MOT INTERSTATE COM
MERGE.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Washing on, Jan. c.-ArguIsnt ID
he ca OF Swift and company vs. the
United States inewn as tlso beef
trust conspiracy case. was begun be-
fore the supreme court OF The Unit
cd States ioday by Attorney Miller Of
Chicago in behalf Of the pacxcrs He
attacked the bin Of the gcFernment
as insufficient in rs failure o aIIege
facts necessary to constitute cause
for action and said the char ges made
are not fac.s. but conclusions Of
law; that the commerce charged is
not ihtersta or foreign commerce,
end that even il Il Be interstate com.
merce the facts given cons'itute no
violation Of he law
An interference in Business
He eaid an Injunction had been
prayed for and secured from he Unit
ed States circuit cunt for TIE north
ern distrio. Of Illinois lsAder be Shef.
nan anti rust act. md. quoting the
lecree Of the court making perma-
aent tho injunction, Miller said Il
merely adds a prohibition OF the
eour to that Of congress-, leaving the
packers TO ascertain whether individ
al acts will be In contempt OF the
sourt's order. lie cont,nded that the
case presents an interference iB bus.
'ness such as never before has been
undertaken. The Charge ne said
ure of the most general character andK
do not specify time ass1 place 1te4
fflid no. believe. therefore. that thet
CHARGES could stand at all and he
quoted .indictments In whiskey cases
to show that charges much raore spe-
clfic than are here made were consid-
ared lnrufficients
Didn't Want Particulars.
Rep ying to9a QUESTION BY Justice
Harlan Mr.. Miner adfnit,ed that be
had not asked for bin s.of particu-
lars. He said that'sf the backing in.
lustry could be interfered with as
Droposel in this care manufacturing
Industries could be similarly regulat-
ed, "and you Will fiud." he added, the
'ederal courts regulating aNconEider.
able part Of the commerce OF the
country"
He contended that there Is no inter-
tate commerce involved because the
business Of packers including the pur.
chase of cattle and sa e Of meat, is
confined solely to Chicago The ship.
nents. he said. IL no part Of the purs
chase or sale.
Admits a Common understanding.
Explaining the economic situation.
1 MIR. Miller said the demand for fresh
meat is fairly uniform ami owing TO
the eccss5y for maintaining a prop
er supply Of the acceptable article,
/ he said there should be come under.
standing among packers. This, he
said, IL perfectly legitimate.
When Mr. Miller concluded Attor-
/ ney General Moody began. II was
idle, he said. to discuss the conten-
tlon that the charges Of the bin are
not connected one with another. Be
/ that. he added, as il may, the purpose
of the suit Is single and al the sep
arate parts Of the bill are interde-
pendent for the accomplishment OF
tha. end. He ALTO maintained the
constitutionalty of the prosision OF
I the bin asking for discovery OF the
books of the packers Mr.. Moody had
scarcely begun when the court adj
/ journed until Monday