Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-22
INDICTMENT OF THE PACKERS
in q Live stock Commission
Firms Letter.

Firms Letter.
The long and short Of the above matter
10 that the packers are indicted at Chicago
for making a success OF a legitimate bust
ness. The effect will be. and already is.
first. to hamper their operations and hurt
the market for both beef and cattle. and,
second. to make indictment and statutory
crime respectable in this country with all
the long trains Of evil incident to such re-
spectability.
The big packers may not have been al
ways wise in what they have said or did
not say. They. OF course, have the ordi-
nary human limitations, including selfish
ness, especially Of men who have lived
and striven intensely for the accomplish
ment of a single material purpose. but 1
submit that it is utterly impossible TO con-
duct a large business. except as they have
done it. with regard to competitors. Large
interests cannot afford to fight each other
and they cannot be made to do so by statu-
tory enactment They may be destroyed.
perhaps, but they cannot be made to de-
stroy each other They may be indicted.
convicted. fined. imprisoned and Inundated
in every way that can be devised by legis-
lative ingenuity. and the effect would only
be as above stated, to make such things
respectable
To illustrate: Suppose a law were passed
1--WE believe there in such a law making
Il a crime for railways to agree on a rate
Of transportation from Kansas City 70 St
Louis. Does any one suppose that the
four Independent lines connecting the two
cities would not have an understanding,
tacit or otherwise. just the same? other
wise a war would be precipitated that
could end only in the extinction OF ALL ex-
/ cept one, as an independent property. and
the war would be ended by the foolish de-
struction Of the combatants rather than by
the wisdom of peace: but the war would
be ended. The big packers sell meat. the
railroads sell transportation: that is the
only difference
There have been more foolish, incendiary
and even revolutionary things said and
written on the beef combine lately than on
any other one subject The packers have
been lampooned. basted. harpooned. car
TONED and pilloried. even by respectable
and otherwise sane people. The only ex-
PLANTATION l can think Of is that the bust
ness deals with the concerns of the stom-
ach, very sensitive and irritating avenue
Of feeling with men in all the various
svoca tions of life.
| The government. under pressure. institu-
ted a thorough investigation. II covered
period Of two years All the financial
/ and cerebral resources Of the government
were drawn upon to conduct this invesu-
cation. The result has been published
! broadcast, and its correctness has never
been successfully disputed. The chit of
the report was published in these columns.
! 1t is: First. that the packers profits are
a small percentage; second. that their
total opera tons cover only a minority per-
centage of the entire industry. The original
| big four" has been increased TO big
| six but there are still over so copcerns
in business. but not under indictment Any
one with the slightest knowledge of the
various live stock market operations cam
not fail to be impressed with the large
I amount of Independent buying The bust
! ness is open to the world. and is par
| ucipated in by almost the whole world
when the temperate re is right. The pack.
ers only advantage is the very large capt.
| tai and experience and ingenuity required
With these they have in twenty years
revolutioniZed the industry: they have
educated consumption and created demand
This is conspicuously illustrated by what
has happened in the sheep markets in re.
cent years
The restraining Of rebates and special ad
| 'N~--NNSNN b4'i'NA aubJttlS OF leBlslH-
ton. Violation OF such laws should b,
summarily dealt with. But the packers ar.
under Indictment for doing exactly what
the railway people are fined for not doing
One principle is right and just: the Other
the reverse. Considering the fight that ha.
been made on the packers from the first
originally by local slaughterers. next by
railroads. next by local legislation, as city
d, ordinances, neyt by foreign governments
and finally by our own national govern.
ment. even after an generating investiga.
tion, the wonder is that they are doine
business at all.
Let any man compare conditions now
with market fluctuations and risks twent,
years ago While population has increased
80 per cent cattle marketing has Increased
500 per cent. These days occasionally nearl,
one hundred thousand cattle are marketed
In three days in Chicago and Kansas Cit,
alone. Is II necessary to resort TO Grim,
as an explanation OF low markets.
The safety from Beef trust oppression
lies in the pl-nitude of capital ability and
activity in the country at large. Given ar
even chance and there will be plenty O,
participants in the race for any good thing
backed up by capital and experience :,
attain II. The function Of the government
ends with giving every citizen an ever
chanee-a square deal.-IIve stock letter O.
Elnore d Cooper Of Kansls City