The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-25

n CHICAGO, Jan. 25.-The "meat
a strikers" have won the first skirmish
their battle for lower prices. Radi
al reductions In the prices of many
necessities have already been announc
4 I'd here and further declines are eN
tpected today and tomorrow.
In the wholesale prices OF butter
.3Pggs, potatoes, pork products and beef
butts. the reductions have been from
three TO five per cent. No one here
.udoubts that the meat strike" agita
y zion has been the sole cause of the
adeclines.
The most radical decline OF all was
s In the price Of butter. Local butter
|bconcerns which have been bidding 80
cents a pound for the Elgin product
To-day biA- only 80 cents and were able
No get butter at that price.
The live stock and provision mar
Bets are being closely watched by com
men today. The packers. who
bare under the double fire of the meat
Istrike" agitators and the federal de-
'partment OF Justice. are plainly uncer
taln what to do. Meanwhile prices are
Rdeclining rapidly in these two branch
les of their business. The provision
knarket was almost panicky yesterday
Land the effect of this condition was
|evident when the board of trade open.
Ned today.
In a sensational charge to the fed.
,.eral grand Jury that will investigate
Athe meat packing industry, Federal
|Judge Lands indicated yesterday that
Ithc coming prosecution of the packers
was forced by him and was announced
Din Washington only after he had noti-
#fed United States Attorney Sims that
|'he would call for such an investigation.
The court also sharply criticised
."Certain functionaries in Washing
\ ton" his remarks, referring. IL is be-
klieved, to persons connected with the
department or justice.
His charge to the jury Is regarded
here as an intimation that Washing
ton officials are attempting TO claim
credit for the investigation when 1t
I does not belong TO them.
The court instructed the grand jury
TO investigate the fresh meat industry
and made special reference to the
Sherman law, calling upon the jury TO
indict persons whom they believed
guilty Of misdemeanors under that
law. He especially cautioned the jury
against permitting their deliberations
to be swayed by Public clamor or
malice"
Continuing, the court said that on
the twentieth of this month he notified
the district attorney that when the
grand jury was drawn, he would d.
rect its attention to the conditions in
the fresh meat industry OF the coun-
try.
IT regret to state the court said.
that two days later reports came from
Washington that certain functionaries
there would take steps In connection
With these conditions"
The court went on to say that the
publication OF these reports might
have been due TO journalistic enter
prise" but that they were TO be re-
GREETED as they might faint the atmos-
phere OF the district out Of which the
grand jury was drawn.
II was announced that action on the
beef trust" investigation would he
postponed for a few days until some
docket cases had been considered. II
vas explained that the present investI-
cation was OF such Importance that II
would be better If the jury were given
a little time in which to familiarlze
itself with the routine of the grand
fury procedure.