Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-07-20

indianapolis, July 49, Especial to
the Leader. } The recklessneSs of
greed and the bluntness of conscience
which does not halt at methods for in
creasing gain have borne their fruit,
and Congress has declared that the
packing houses must be kept under
national surveillance, and their pro-
ducts be rigidly inspected by the gov
eminent of the United States. And
it declares further that the govern
ment itself must pay the bill to the
extent of three million dollars the first
year.
This is not bright. The packers
alone were responsible for the condi-
tions that were recently disclosed, and
if they have proven themselves SO dis
honest that they must be constantly
watched to protect the public from
being poisoned in their food, those
that necessitate the watching ought to
pay the watchers.
But the packers with their strong
organization and the virtual monopoly
that organization gives them, are law
proof as far as making them pay the
expenses of inspection are concerned.
The law could have provided that
the packers pay the bill and made a
specific assessment upon each animal
slaughtered to meet the payment, but
what would that have mattered to
the packers? They make the prices
on the animals they butcher and also
upon the finished product for the con-
sumers' tables. The usual practice
by monopolies is to discount the buy
ing price from three to ten times the
amount of additional expense and to
increase the selling price to the con-
sumner in about the same ratio, so that
the tax to pay the cost of inspection,
had it been made, would have proved
a source of increased profits to the
packers, and the stock raisers and meat
consumers would have paid the bill,
not once only but many times over.
If this is the true situation, and it
is beyond doubt, it certainly carries
with it lesson for live stockmen. If
organization may thus exploit them,
and through It's power the packers
may shift the burdens upon the al
ready overweighed shoulders of the
stockraisers, what view does it lay
before them? A most vivid view of
their own heplessness, and one which
calls loudly for relief.
How may relief come? How was
the burden imposed? By organization.
Relief must come in the same way.
Stock growers can organize just as
we'll as the packers can-just as easily
and much more powerfully. Their
need is to sell comparatively, to price
their own stock and control the mar
keting. The only requirement to this
end is to direct the shipping. Thus
organized, the stockmen would carry
as big stick as Roosevelt's. They
are the first owners of the stock They
can not be made to sell it. They can
only be induced to do SO by the offer
of satisfactory price, and that price
has previously been determined in nat
ional convention.
And the stockmen have in reserve
still more powerful argument-a big
ger stick yet. If the packers refuse
to pay the price, the stockmen have
wealth as we'll as stock. and they have
skill as we'll as enterprise. They can
build stock yards of their own, and
erect packing houses and operate them.
Were it to come to this the money of
the world would be poured into their
laps for the purpose, for both the con-
stunning and the commercial world are
heartily tired of the old regime.
We mention this only as a final ar
gument, merely to show the ultimate
possibilities and power of the stock
men in an organized capacity. Let
the packers continue the business
Throw nothing in their way But let
them know that while the United
States is compelling them to be hon
est, the live stock men themselves
propose to attend to their end Of it,
and see to it that no additional bur
dens be placed upon them. In other
words, they propose to do their own
price making and control the market
ing of their product and if necessary
compel the packers to be decent in
their business and promote the larger
markets.
Is that really the purpose of stock
men? They are Intelligent enough;
are they brave enough? Have they
the courage and the independence?
We believe they have, and we appeal
to them to make it known by a tire
mendous gathering N East St. Louis,
III. next October % to 26, to organize
their marketing machine.