Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-13
Fight Between Packers and Com
mission Men Over ,Postmor-
tenn Rule Works Hardships
COMMISSION MEN ARE UNFAIR
Unreasonable in Opposing Tuberoulosis
Rule - Very Few Diseased Cattle
From Iowa Go on the Market-Dis-
ease, However, on the Increase in
Certain Sections.
Special to Times s-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, June 13.-The prooleih
of the tuberculosis beef animal is right
up 10 the farmers of Iowa by reason OF
the sharp controversy between packers
and commission men at the packing
cenIers This fight is costing the cat
tie raisers of Iowa from $4,000 to $4,000
day. A movement quietly started
among the Iowa meat producers Will
land them on the side of the packers
and the government meat experts ana
against the attitude taken by the COM
mission men and SPECTATORS. In the
end the fight will go far toward end
Il ing the increasing danger from spread
OF the disease among Iowa herds
The American meat packers asso-
citation, which includes practically all
the packers engaged in interstate or
export trade, established the rule that
/ all COWS and heifers bought should be
subject to the government inspection
and in case of animals being rejected
| because of tuberculosis the loss should
not be upon the packer. The live stock
| exchanges, representing the buyers and
middle men generally, refused to sell
under the rule.
/ The result is that all the cows and
heifers sent to Chicago, Kansas City.
Omaha and other packing centers, con-
signed to members of the stock ex-
changes, are being sold to small buy
| ers, butchers and owners of packing
houses where there is no inspection
The market is limited and prices con-
seq,iently cut. Asa result there is
great loss to the western farmers on
this stuff and the loss is not on those
who, sell diseased animals but upon all
shippers.
There is big company doing bust-
ness in Chicago the cooperative COM
pany, organized and supported by
about 1,50O stockmen. with Iowa men at
the head and directing it's affairs, which
company has refused to join the COM
mission houses in opposing the inspec-
tion rule. 1t is selling under the rule
of the packers. As matter Of fact 1t
is securing, because of this acceptance
of the rule, something like 25 cents a
hundred more for it's stock. But it also
finds that the loss by reason of apply
ing the rule is not as great as the COM
mission men would cause 1t to/appear
and that the loss on Iowa stuff is very
small. For instance, prominent Iowa
| shipper went to Chicago this week and
made investigation and found that in
| ten days this company had sold under
| the rule 759 animals, that seven were
rejected by the government inspectors,
and only one of these was from Iowa.
But the Iowa shippers, alike with those
from other states, are standing the
losses under the old rule due to lower
prices paid for animals not subject to
| the rule.
"The farmers and stock shippers do
not understand just what is in this
controversy" said Harry Wallace yes
| terday. "The most of the Information
| which has gone into the newspapers
has emanated from the commission
men thru their newspapers, the stock
journals, and they give an erroneous
! idea of the case. The interest Of the
| farmers does not lie with the commits
sion men,, They are interested In hav-
ine, tuberculosis stamped out and this
rule of the packers is the best thing
possible in that direction. The course
of the farmer is perfectly clear II
he has cows and heifers for sale he
should ship them to market and order
his commission man to sell them sub
ject to inspection. He should tag
them. If none are rejected he will
know that he has no tuberculosis in
his herd. and he can feed his milk In
safety to his children. But If some
Of his animals are condemned by the
government examiners he will know to
certainty that he has the dread dis
ease in his herd and he will call in a
veterinarian and have thorough ex-
animation made. Then he will refuse
to feed any of his milk even to the
hogs or the chickens until it is boiled.
If he is a wise farmer he will pro-
ceed at once to get rid Of tuberculosis
and 1t will be better for him and for
his state"
The argument Of the commission
men in opposition to the rule is that 1t
"is unlawful, arbitrary, unjust to the
producer and detrimental to the best
interests Of the trade; that it will
result in disorder, in confusion and in
delay: that 1t will work hardship
and damage upon every producer and
shipper Of cattle; that it is an unfair
discrimination against every other
buying interest and unjust to the
butchers, spectators. eastern ship
pers, order buyers and small packers"
The packers give two principal rea-
sons for adoption Of the rule. First,
that the seller should stand the loss
II he sells diseased animals Second,
that tuberculosis Is rapidly increasing
among dairy cows and hogs, and that
1t is to the interest Of the entire I've
stock industry that it be stamped out
as quickly as possible.
The commission men also make the
claim and set it out:speci1cally dn their
j.