The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-19
Meat Dealers the Victim of
Packers Oppression.
Price of Meats Has Been Steadi-
ly Advanced.
LIVE STOCK CHEAPER.
Butchers Can't Understand the
Present Conditions.
Revolt Against the Trust
Methods Is Threatened.

Though they have no recourse the
butchers of the city are on the verge
or an open rupture with the packers
who supply them with their meats, and
there is a possibility that individual
slaughter houses may be resorted to If
the apparent oppression by the pack
ers is kept up. The money stringency
with which the country is struggling
seems to have been made a pretext for
a further advance in meats and packing
house products.
Butcher stock of all kinds has fallen
steadily during the past few weeks with
an occasional squirt upward which was
overcome by an increased drop the next
day. Notwithstanding the fact that
packing house stuff is lower today than
for months past there is hardly COM
modify purchased of them by the butch
ers that is not from 10 to 20 per cent
higher today than it was year ago.
1t is this condition and the protests
of the consumer that has caused the
butcher and groceryman of the city to
rise up in arms against the injustice
which is being perpetrated by the pack
ers who control the patronage in this
part of the state. With the price of
hogs and cattle going steadily down.
ward the butchers are at a loss to I'M
derstand the continued advance in
meats and slaughter house products.
The patrons of the butcher shops who
are the consumers and 1t is they who
must pay the advance cannot under
stand why it is that a farmer and
stockraiser receives from 10 to 20 per
cent less for his stock than he did last
year and at the same time that there
has been an advance in the butchers
produce which they are compelled to
have.
Calls 1t a Shame.
Its a shame" said John Schmidt
of the firm of Schmidt and Company
who do probably the largest exclusive
w hI1f Rh hIIC in fIn oft hot
we should be compelled to submit to
the outrageous prices asked us by
the packers. There is no use to change
from one to another for the prices are
practically the same, the difference
usually being made on one or two
small commodities which are hardly
worth considering.
''Beef is worth just about a cent a
pound more at this time than it was
in November last year though the
price of beef on foot is from ten to
twenty per cent lower than at was at
the same time last year. A carcass
of beef costs US about 81 more this
year than it did last and we have no
recourse as our patrons cannot stand
a further raise and our profit has gone
to the packer This, too in the face
of the fact that cattle and hogs are
being sold at considerable less than
they were last year.
"I don't know how long we are to
be compelled to submit to such extor
ton, but we will have to find some re-
course or go out of business as our
profit has already been taken away
from us and there is nothing in the
way of further raises faraas 1 can
see. Beef hearts that year ago cost |
US cents and which we retailed for
10 cents now cost us 12h and the best
that we can get for them is Is cents. |
"A beef liver weighing II pounds that |
q year ago would have been thrown in |
with a carcass is billed to US at AZ cents |
hno hT~oi nnf 1ro6i
everything else for that matter where |
there was a chance for a butcher to |
make a little money has been changed |
in price so that the packer gets the |
profit Flank steaks which cost |
cents a year ago are now costing US II |
cents; pork loins which brought to |
cents now cost us Is and that is the |
story all the way through.
I'VE handle some of the largest trade |
in the city and to do this our margin |
is light frequently running from one |
half to a cent a pound, so you can see |
that to these hotels, restaurants and |
boarding houses our change must be |
made as soon as the packer raises his |
price to U.S. Then in the face of these /
facts the packers claim through pub |
lished articles that the prices are lower |
than they have been and they base the |
price paid the farmer and stock raiser !
for his stock on these claims |
Advances Are Continual.
'T understand that there has been /
another advance in the price of meat" |
suggested the newspaper man to A. L |
Green of the firm of William Green & I!
Son. Have you heard anything about J
it?" well I should say that 1 have" |
said Green. IT'S an outrage and |
shame that the people of Topeka or any |
other community for that matter are |
compelled to submit to the prices |
charged by the packers.
Hardly a day passes that we are not |
notified of an advance on some COM |
1n6f y 1AI b.