Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-07-19
CATTlEMEN
 AND PACKERS A Battle Royal Is Believed to Be on Between Them Treaty of Peace Said to Have Been Nullified. THEY ARE IN SESSION At Kansas City-Question as to Whether Packers Should Pay For Live Stock Before Being Slaught- cred Is a Live Issue.
THEY ARE IN SESSION

Kansas City, Mo-, July 19.-A battle royal between the packers and the cattlemen is now in prospect, accord- ing to delegates to the National Live Stock Exchange, in session here to- day. The treaty of peace agreed upon some time ago is said to be alreaov nullified and open warfare between the producers and packers Of beet is certain. The trouble has grown out of the question as to whether the packing concerns should pay for cat tie and hogs prior to being slaughter ed, or after post mortem inspection has been made by the government au- thorities. Millions of dollars a year are involved in the answer to this question and every meat eater in the country is affected.
 At the present time only the infer for grade of cattle, known as "cau- ners'' or "can stuff" is being consld' cred. All of the big packers an- nounced over month ago that this grade of beef would be purchased only subject to the approval Of the United States inspectors in their final post mortem examination. Gamers are made up for the most part of breeding and dairy cows and are par ticularly susceptible to tuberculosis. The rigid examination of the health inspectors has resulted ill the re1ec- tion of a considerable proportion or "canners" and this loss has fell heav- fly on the packers, who are seeking to transfer it to the cattle raisers.
 Believing the edict of the packers if successfully put into operation would be speedily followed by sim liar regulations governing the pur- chase of all kinds of live stock, the cattle raisers and commission men prepared to do battle. As the first move, they ordered the ranchers to hold their "cow stuff'' or divert it to the markets of the East and South. This plan resulted in first victory for the cattlemen. Kansas City, Chi cago and other centers of the packing industry were deprived of "canners' and a better grade of cattle had to be used for canning purposes. This increase on stock yard prices result ed promptly in an advance of beef prices to the consumer. If the pack CTS do not give in the boycott will be continued and the price of beef will probably continue to soar.
 Commission men state that the men of the range will not give in to the packers and will continue the fight for months if necessary. The pur- chase of cattle subject to the post mortem examination would be a heavy blow to the cattle industry. In the past all live stock deals have been made subject to payment on ap- proval by United States inspectors at the scales where cattle, hogs and sheep are weighed On the hOof. The new policy which the packers are at tempting to inaugurate would put the cattlemen at the mercy of the big packers. Rather than subjugate themselves to the big beef interests, the cattle raisers will fight to a finish. In this stand they have the aid ot the commission men, scores of whom are in attendance at the present con vention of their national organiza- tion