The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-30
Judge True So Decides in
Traders Exchange Case.
Sweeping Victory for State Over
Kansas City, Kan, Concern.
CONCERN DISSOLVED.
Did Not Give a Square Deal to
Kansas StOckmen.
Short Weight and BOycOtting
Methods Charged by State.

Kansas City, Dec. 30.-Judge L. c.
True today decided the Kansas City
Live Stock Traders trust case tried
before him last month. filing a twenty
page opinion and ,voluminous findings
of fact. The decision is a sweeping
victory for the state. The court finds
the Traders exchange to be trust
and orders it dissolved and grants an
injunction against its members as
prayed for by the state.
The suit was brought by Attorney
General Jackson on complaint of the
Cooperative Live Stock Commission
company, an Independent concern
composed of farmers and stockmen
who attempted to transact business
at the yards in opposition to the trust
Similar suits have been brought be-
fore by individuals and companies, but
this is the first one brought by the
state to be tried out fully, and the re-
suit is of national importance in it's
effect on live stock and other ex-
changes A suit against the same
exchange brought by the state of Mis-
souri, is still pending.
Judge True's Opinion.
Judge True, in his opinion, says in
part:
There are 191 defendants named in
the petition, who by their answers ad
nit the allegations of the petition that
they are members of voluntary, I'M
Traders Live Stock exchange. doing
business at the stock yards at Kansas
City, WyandOtte county, Kansas, and
composed of traders or spectators
who buy and sell stock on their own
account; and admit the adoption and
enforcement of rules 10 to Is. inclu-
sive of the bylaws of said Traders
Live Stock exchange.
There is another similar associa
ton doing business at said stock yards,
7rraN 110 iva l.
exchange. consisting of about 200
members, who are all commission
men, or those who buy and sell live
stock for others on commission.
There was also one commission
company, known as the Cooperative
Live Stock Commission company, do
ing business or attempting to dc bust
ness at said stock yards without a
membership in either of said ex-
changes and composed principally of
producers of live stock.
''The Kansas City stock yards are To-
Gated principally in Kansas City,
Wyandotte county, Kan. right at the
state line between Kansas and Mis-
souri,, and partly in Missouri. They are
owned and operated as a public live
stock market by the Stock Yards COM
pany, a corporation, but not defend
ant in this case. There are over 1900
men engaged in business at said mar
ket including traders, commission men
200 acres of ground and it is the largest
live stock market in the world except
that at Chicago 1t handles approx
mately twice as many of that kind of
cattle known as feeders and stockers'
cattle not fat enough for slaughter
as are handled in the worlds great
| market at Chicago. There are six large
packing houses in Kansas City, Kan,
| on the Kansas side of the state line and
in close proximity to the stock yards.
q ma dnn1 0ra1r Fok l.
ready for slaughter. Stockers and feed
ers are not wanted by them In addi-
ton to the fat cattle there are over
100000 stockerS and feeders handled an
nually at the Kansas City market and
the volume of business annually done
there is between S135, 900 and S14O,-
600, 000
History of the Exchange.
The Cooperative Live Stock Com
mission company. hereinafter called the
May 20 1906, with 1850 stockholders,
principally producers of live stock, 45S
Of whom lived in Kansas. It commence
ed business in September, 1906, pro-
testing against a recent scale of ad-
vances in commissions fixed and adopt
ed by The Live Stock exchange in COM
bination with a great number of like
associations throughout the country in
Guiding one at ST. Joseph, Omaha
Sioux City, ST. Louis and Fort Worth.
(Vol. 8: 81. The new cooperative COM
pany opposed and denounced the ad-
vance in commissions as unnecessary,
unreasonable. and unlawful, and by it's
prospectus proposed to do business at
Kansas City at the old rates Then the
trouble commenced at the stock yards
hut the difference in commission rates
was not the sole cause of the trouble
There were and for some time had been
humor5 aflOat involving the good name
of the Kansas City market 1t was
publicly talked and published in the
Press Of the country that men who con-
signed their cattle to commission men
at the Kansas City markets and coun-
trymeu who came personally with their
stock to said market could not get
square deal because of the methods of
conducting business at the Kansas
City stock yards. 1t was claimed that
false weights were given so cattle were
light when bought by traders and
heavier when resold by them and weigh
ed over the same scale. Some of the
traders ard some of the commission
men at the stock yards themselves
voiced these charges and beiieved them
and they were afterwards shown to be
true.
Can Reorganize on Legal Basis.
ut may De that an association SINH
lar to this would be a convenience and
business necessity. If so, it will only
take a short time to organize one on
a different plan than this. One to
obey and help to enforce the anti
trust laws, rather than violate them.
One to discourage and prohibit boy
cotting rather than to adopt and use
this lawless weapon. One to help keep
| free, open, public market, rather
than one to suppress trade and foster
monopoly. This decision does not pro-
hibit the organization and mainten-
ance of such an exchange
Capper Celebration Tonight.
Tonight The employees of the Capper
I al
nual reunion at the Novelty theater,
where they will stage amateur sketch