The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-02-07
THE BEEF TRUST CASE.

THE BEEF TRUST CASE
The big beef trust magn ates, who
are now on trial in Chicago for vto'
lation of the laws of the United States,
continue to plead the baby act, and
ask for immunity from punishment
not because they are not guilty, but
because Commissioner Garfield prom
Used them protection II they would
show him their books and tell him all
about their methods Of doing business.
They may have other and better de.
tense to offer to the complaint Of the
government, but at present they are
pleading their own confession as a
bar to prosecution, and the testimony
so far is designed to prove their claims
on that point. The story they tell US
is rather an intereresting one. When
Commissioner Garfield arrived in
Chicago to investig ate the beef trust,
spurred to this action by q resolution
Of congress directing him to do so, he
promptly sought a prominent banker
and made his mission known, It the
same time assuring him that he was
not there to play the part of the detec-
tive or to pry into the secrets of the
beef trust with any view to making
them trouble. He wanted to meet the
beef barous in a friendly way and get
such facts and figures as would enable
him TO report to the president so that
the curious congressman who instig at.
ed the inquiry might be satisfied. The
beef barons SEN their attorney to see
Garfield. and according to the attor.
ney's evidence, G artield assured him
that he represented the president and
administration, and that he could be
confident that the beef barons would
be secure from prosecution for any
violations of law that they might be
guilty Of that should come to his no.
tice through their courtesy. His de-
partment had no connection with the
department Of justice, he assured them.
He merely wanted to inspect their
books, in order to be able to report
TO the president in accordance with
the direction of congress-. Thereupon
the beef trust attorney says he advised
his clients to show Mr. Garfield their
books, q carefully prepared set OF
books, no doubt, kept largely for such
exhibition purpose. 1t was from an
inspection of these books that Com
missioner Garfield gathered the facts
and figures that led him to that won.
derful conclusion which made such q
stir in the world, when the Garfield
beef trust report was made pnblic, viz:
That the beef trust was in fact q band
OF philanthropists, who purchased
beef on the hoof, slaughtered 1t and
sold the carcasses at 30 very small q
margin Of profit that they made less
than two per cent. per annum on the
legitimate capital they had invested
in the business, and often made moth.
Ing at all.
When the laughter and jeers with
which the results of the Garfield in.
vestig alton, as ordered by congress,
was received by the business world
had died away, q grand jury, sitting
in Chicago, found indictments against
Armour, Morris aud the rest OF the
beef trust kings. The government, as
In duty bound, is prosecuting. Now
it transpires that the beef trust mag.
mates did more than plan to make q
monkey Of Commissioner Garfield and
the administration. They also plan.
ned to interpose the presidents repre-.
sentative between themselves and harm
while enjoying their joke OF showing
him their business secrets. The law
provides for immunity to such VIOLA
tors of the antitrust law a. shall turn
states evidence, and the beef barons
have the magnificent nerve to claim
that they are in this position and were
SO assured by Mr.. Garfield. In the
light OF the ability OF Commissioner
Garfield to blunder, it seems strange
indeed that the president keeps him at
the head of the bureau Of corporation
investigation. He is now said to be
engaged in Investigating Standard
Oil. Judging by our past experience
We are prepared to learn that he has
come to the conclusion that John ID.
Rockefeller has made himself a pauper
by his persistent determination to sell
oil at lest than cost.-Great Falls
Tribune.
FACT AND FICTION.