Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-06-10
FIGHTING THE BEEF TRUST
Campaign to Prevent. It Estab.
fishing a Leather Monopoly.
Evidence That Chicago Packers Un.
der Present Conditions Will U1ti-
mately Control Shoe Business.

WASHINGTON, d. Cine lODDy n
the lawyers in charge of the manifold
interests of the Beef Trust are in
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 athigh 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 a game and
effective fight for free hides and
leather is still being waged, and there
are hopes hat 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 ~bombarding
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 1t does
not take a prophet to foretell in a
general way what will happen, MI.
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 q gigantic trust con-
trolling the beef packing, leather tam
ming and shoe manufacturing indus
tries of this country. This trust will,
of course, be built around the present
Beef Trust.
The advantage given to the Beef
Trust, as the original wne Of hides,
is so great that competition with it
will be hopeless, as soon as 1t can es-
tdblish itself In the leather tanning
and shoe manufacturing industries.
BY ownership and control, through
community of interest, and by tan
ming contracts, the Beef Packers
Trust has already become so domin-
ant In the sole leather tanning BUSH
ness that it is difficult to locate indie
pendent %tanneries. More than thirty
~tanneries are now said to be under
Armour, Swift, Morris control.
Recently reports have been heard
that the Beef Packers were becoming
interested in the shoe manufacturing
business. 1t seems clear that the al
most inevitable result of continuing
the present policy is to throw the en-
tire leather tanning and shoe manu-
featuring business into the hands OF
the Beef Trust. which has, through
Its slauShtering interests, control of
the countrv's hide supply, and can
dictate prices.
Newspaper publishers r taking a
deep interest in this matter because
the shoe men are among their largest
advertisers, and they realize that if
the Beef Trust got control of the bust
ness it would no more advertise shoes
then than it does SirlOin steaks now