Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-03-24
1t a5bj99toG 5 tandard
ssiN us'lt. WASH.
lElhli MORNING. MARCH y. 1903.
That Bcnvilecnt Beef Trust.

That Bcneiiccnt Beef Trust.
'...g. I!Nard Russell, in Airi
-. - Nutt-usr, tells al seNcra
way how the railways are held up by
the hcci trust. One way Is by til,
classification i"r carryi = dressed bee
from. -Ay, Ch.cAs, to Nv York city
at T. cent a hundfed pounds. in car
LOAF lot. Tie established rate FOL
ri,o.:. --hol.-e lro'lucts (-Altcd and
p, ~,l.,G Imc.,t-. lard AMI tiic lisc) l.
- r'I;~ = hInirod pounds. Now the
rates. over the same lines, for dairy
prOduct--huttcr, csg~ and cheese-is
from e. to - per one hundred pounds
Hnd on anything less than full car
loads, the rate is 20 per cent. higher
1t can be readily seen how easy it is
for the trust to cut the higher rates by
judicious loading oil cars with products
OF the higher cla--iti cation, and billing
them at the lower. The companies
watch il vain at the loading and un.
loading OF cars, but the inspection OF
the trust cars is rendered merely far.
cical. probably by the same moral
If not visual strabismus that seems
equally applicable to oyerseers or in
vestigators when directed at such op.
erations Of the trust as caused Com.
missioner Garfield to make his most
astounding report OF two per cent.
annual margin for profit for the trust
that has SO long bled the people at the
butchers block.
The trust likewise compels the rail-
roads to expedite its cars and the rec.
ord shows that while the daily run Of
an ordinary car is % miles. the beef
trust car passes over 10S miles each
day, on an average. 1t also compels
the company to repair its cars, and to
refuse to furnish other than trust cars,
and in all cases TO act as the trust
collector and agent without charge,
and to blacklist shippers. if to the
trusts interest to establish boycott.
To the query, why do the railroads
stand this domineering control, the
answer is, that, so far, the railroads
have been unable to effect anything
like united action for general protec-
ton. They have been unable even to
raise the minimum car limit, which is
placed at 10000 pounds, not by the
railroads, but the packers.
There was one attempt to get to.
gether and raise the limit to $4,000
pounds, but it was quietly-very quiet
ly-squelched. The railroad managers
all welcomed the suggestion, and in
December, 1903, sixteen of them met
by stealth, in New York, and held a
secret session, wherein they discussed
their grievances and resolved that on
one point, ut least, they would stand
"pat," and that was the car.limit
should be $1,000 pounds, and that
after 30 days from the date of that
meeting, on all railroads represented.
the minimum load should be that
limit. The resolution was unanimous
and the meeting adjourned fully pre-
pared to carry it into effect.
While the minimum load was not
raised in 30 days, nor in any number
OF days thereafter, within 4S hours OF
the adjournment of the meeting the
trust people knew all about it, who
was there, what was said, and how the
limit was to be raised. A simple turn
OF q screw was made and the noisy
wheel again meshed in the cogs silent.
ly and the machine assumed its smooth
and steady run. The railroads have
found that it is quite different thing
to combine against the people, who are
without thorough organization, and q
compact body of men. under single
direction OF master mind, and backed
by all the powerful accessories OF
wealth. One or two railroads are
weaker than others, and unlike the
beef trust, they can adopt plans Of
their own, if they choose, and it is
generally at disadvantage. Necessity
may compel them to make rebates, go
easily arranged, and all harmony of
action is then broken. No agreement
can be formulated that will work iu
their case, and were it possible other.
wise, the foreign competing lines,
which are not hampered by interstate
commerce law nor Federal authority,
makes the condition hopeless.
Mr.. Russell concludes his review Of
Euerybody's article with this terrible
arraignment:
The fact is that no one can give close
heed to this subject without getting q
distinct impression of general depravity.
The trust robs the railroads, the railroads
in innumerable thievish ways gouge the
shippers, the shippers pass over to the
public the crushing burden of the illegal
tribute, the laws are violated thousand
times every day by every railroad, until
to mention law is to cause the initiated
to laugh, the traffic of the country is rot.
ten with forbidden rebates and scandal
GUS determinations railroad executives
risk the penitentiary to pile up their
traffic figures, and behind all is the ban.
dit OF commerce, taking toll"
LET Us COUNT THE CosT.-There
should be few conservatives in every
community. 1t is so easy to appro.
pirate money when you have it, or to
draw warrants on "invisible funds"
and the temptation is so great when
an offer is made to Finance" doubtful
appropriations, that it is difficult to