The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-04-13
FIGHT On
CHICAGO
PACKERS
R0PPE

Washington. April B.-Aner three
months o. grand Jury lnaulsltlon at
Chicago the government has Official
ly dropped rs attempt To indlct Morris
& Co, one uf he 'big four" OF chi
cago's stock yard packing firms. ON
charges OF accepting railroad rebatea
attorney General Wbckersham gave
gul a letter which be had sent 10 Nor
IT'S ~ % apprisIng them Of the fNtii
ny OF tho governments efforts, The.
charge aReinst the Arm arose over the
fact that the company wus accused OF
getting reb1tes from railroad compu
piea undef the cover OF fictitious dam
age claims.
While The government claims 70
have sghstantialed enough Of thu
charges to prove the payments from
the railroads to the packing conct ana
might have neeh greater than the &C.
tuai damages to goods. Mr, Wicker.
sham \ letter declares ethe depart.
ment docs not believe thai any public
service could be rendered By making
At this time q Test Of caaea Of past
Transactions.
eoFnmercc c9mmlsaion TO Act.
kff0rts VIII be made. however. 20
have ,he Interstate Commerce commls,
elcn fruige regulations for the pres
senta.ion Of claims 70 prevent such
possibilities IN the future.
The most significant feature Of The
dropping Of this case ls that Il "a the
last big case against the packing CON.
Germs started Hhder the Roosevelt I'D.
minisirHtlaa Whea &c WIS begun II
4aa declared toe administration
planned 10 get evidence on which III
could indie personally one or more uf
inc riUn ghlraga packers. Several
months we're spent lu grand Jury ia.
vesiigaiions of Tie books of Morris
& Co.. as uall go iae railroad and
steGmshlh eomuaales with whom iaeg
did business,
Letter 40 Packers.
IN hls letter advising Morris q ca
of the governments position, Attorney
General Niedersnam says IN part:
"hnc. full consideration os the
eYideace addueed -by the situation I
have reached the conclusion that IN
aii probability lhis method Gse0 ~
yevr company Of presenting claims pa
the reilr0ads for 6amaEea 10 areased.
beef. h2sed u9on OH improper and ex
eessige cost value was moi adopted
with the deliberate Intent of,ohiainsug
rebates &c ~ennpessions sram the Law
snl ra,ea. Il violation o. tae lntee
Estate commerce. on. The reasons Go.
this co%neluslon are:
Thai sie practice referred 81
has existed FOR many years. originated
IIoUe beflre the enaclment af' thn ~.
lferatalek commerce law wal prevalent
during . lIiHe when rphntes were 0ueh
Is paid and aere mol forbidden az
Federal statute and when there was
DO ocraslnm for any secret device.
~, That the amounts RECEIVED hy
gonr company III payment Of claitns
calculate ~ above described appear
from IN examination Of the hooks 90
have beea lueonsequen;lai in c0uparls
son with the total freight charges en
nuaIly paia 10 ;he feilroeds
Therefore, Il does not elnarly ~
pear thar snnr cotnpanY Intended @
use this meih0C OF computing tle cost
v3lre Of It's produci MS g degiee 10 &C
sert he charges o. tie carriers tran
sporting suen product. ~ diie De-
paftmeut dues moi lAesieya shai any
public service wcrlC De- fpreefeG fy
making at tails ;lme Il fest ceae IL
past transactions
Tha nreaIeal aWhillou last man ean