The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-07-05
STAND OF LIVE STOCK SHIPPERS
Norfolk Bank Outlines Its Position
Against Packers RuIinu.

In reply to a telegram from Louis
F. Swift, the Chicago packer, in which
he asked reasons for the position talk
en- against the recent rule regarding
the purchase of cows subject to post
mortem inspection, the Nebraska Ma
tional bank of Norfolk has sent the
following detailed statement regarding
| its attitude:
Norfolk, Neb., June 20, 19O7.-Mr.
Louis F. Swift, Chicago.-Dear Sir:
Your telegram of the 2Sth instant is
received. You ask for our understand
ing of the points at issue in the dead
| lock now existing between the ship
pers of live stock and the packers
Our information on this subject Is
as follows: On the twenty-seventh
of last May, Swift and Company, Ar
mour and Company, Morris and Com
pany, Schwarzchild and Sulzberger, G..
H. Hammond Company, Libby. McNeal
and Libby, National Packing Company
and Western Packing Company, served
notice on the cattle men and shippers
of the country, through their agents,
the live stock commission merchants
at Chicago, South Omaha, Kansas
City and other stock yards, that after
that date they would buy cows and
heifers only subject to post-mortem in
spection. This demand means, we
take it, that settlement for COWS and
heifers purchased by these firms, I'M
der these rules, will not be made until
after post-mortem examination and
that, in case of condemnation, the loss
will fall upon the shipper.
This ruling, or demand, certainly is
unreasonable. The packers can show
no just reason for asking it. There
will be no additional protection Of
fered the public in the inspection of
meat as it is not proposed that the in
spection in vogue for some time past
be changed in any way. The packers
are only undertaking to force the cat
tie man and shipper to protect them
against a possible loss that always
has been, and should continue to be,
part of their regular expense ac-
count. All cattle are now inspected
by government officials before they are
weighed, or, in other words, while they
are still the property of the shipper.
If there is anything questionable
among them it is taken out, tagged
and weighed separately The shipper
must abide by the post-mortem exam
ination of these tagged, or question
able, animals. He is willing to do
this for it is fair and right. The pack
ers now demand, however, that after
this examination by government in.
spectors, the shippers must still be
responsible for anything that may be
found wrong after the animals are
killed.
People in this community feel that
the packers are undertaking in this
fight to start the post-mortem inspec.
tion (protection to them by the ship
peri by applying 1t to cows and heif.
ers, That, with the beginning made,
they very soon would demand that ali
live stock, steers, hogs and sheep, be
sold them on the same basis. This
would mean that the shipper would
be absolutely and helplessly in the
hands OF the packer. What shipper
could tell whether the packers claim
for cattle condemned should be paid
by him or some other shipper? Or
whether the cattle were condemned at
all? Our Nebraska cattle men have
had very little reason for feeling of
confidence in the packers.
The loss to the packers by post.mor-
tenn examination, during the past year,