The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-06-12
FIGHTING THE BEEF TRUST
Campaign to Prevent It Estab'
fishing a Leather Monopoly.
Evidence That Chicago Packers Un'
der Present Conditions Will Ulti-
mately Control Shoe Business.

Washington, D. C.-The lobby p,
the LAWYERS in charge of the manifol,
interests Of the Beef Trust are il
high glee because of recent successes
in steering their unpopular client
past all legislative and legal obsta
cles without a single bump.
A complete score of the Trusts vic
tories, blessings and mercies would
be very long, but here are a few OF
them: The proposed new prosecution
by the Government has been aban-
doned. Recent offerings of the bonds
of the Trust have been eagerly accept
ed in Wall Street at thigh prices. Prices
OF meats have been advanced again
and again and there is no serious
complaint. William Lorimer, the he
roic defender of the Trust in Con-
gress, has been elected to the Senate
of the United States by his fellow
citizens OF Illinois, and last, but not
least, the movement for free hides in
Congress has been defeated.
That is, the Beef Trust thinks the
question Is settled, but game and
effective fight for free hides and
leather is still being waged, and there
are hopes that Congress may yet be
Influenced to take another point of
view.
The most effective campaign is that
conducted by Ex-Governor Douglas,
of Massachusetts,, who is harding
Congress with literature and argu-
ments which are causing a great stir
In the corporation camp.
The last brick he has thrown at
the meat monopoly is sensational in
the extreme. Copies of his statement
have been sent to every United States
Senator and every Representative in
Congress and to all shoe manufacture
ers, wholesale jobbers, retail shoe
dealers and leather users in the Uni
ted States. Mr.. Douglas declares that
the shoe manufacturers of this coun-
try are facing a crisis even greater
than many of them realize.
Under present conditions it does
not take a prophet to foretell in a
general way what will happen, Mr..
Douglas says. The logic of events
has already proceeded far enough to
Indicate clearly the goal toward
which we are rapidly travelling. This
Is no less than a gigantic trust con-
trolling the beef packing, leather tan
ming and shoe manufacturing indus
tries Of this country. This trust will,
3f course, be built around the present |
Beef Trust.
The advantage given to the Beef
Trust, as the original owner of hides,
s SO great that competition with it
Will be hopeless, as soon as it can es-
ablish itself in the leather tanning
md shoe manufacturing industries.
BY ownership and control, through
community of interest, and by tan
ling contracts, the Beef Packers
rust has already become so domin-
mt in the sole leather tanning bust
ess that it Is difficult to locate inde-
endent tanneries More than thirty
anneries are now said to be under
-rmour, Swift, Morris control.
Recently reports have been heard
hat the Beef Packers were becoming
Interested in the shoe manufacturing
usiness. 1t seems clear that the al
lost inevitable result of continuing
he present policy is to throw the en-
re leather tanning and shoe manu-
acturing business into the hands of
ne Beef Trust, which has, through
s slaughtering interests, control of
lie country's hide supply, and can
ictate prices.
Newspaper publishers are taking a
eep interest in this matter because
lie shoe men are among their largest
1vertisers, and they realize that if :
lie Beef Trust got control of the bust
sss it would no more advertise shoes
len than it does sirloin steaks now.