Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-01-25

N HICAGO, Jan. 24.-The long de-
ferred prosecution of the beef
~ trust which the government final
ly threatened as a result of the power
full protest by the American people
against the exorbitant prices of meat
and the high cost of living, received
a backset today.
The federal prosecutor explained
there was some routine business to
be disposed of first"
Just how vigorous is to be the fed
eral prosecution of the trust remains
to be seen, but it was reported from
washington today that the Republican
regulars, aided by administration
heads, would make a desperate effort
to show that the high cost of living
is not as claimed by Republican in
surgents and experts, a result OF the
Aldrich tariff, nor OF administrative
policies.
Before the actual prosecution Of the
trust is instituted Uncle Sans agents,
it is said, win present claims to snow
that the high cost of living (ncluding
the high price of meats) is caused by
the scarcity of farm help, the arbl-
trariness of grain growers, faulty
range conditions and the excessive
consumption of cities and the dimin-
ishing production of the soil. In fact,
many and variable arguments will be
brought to bear in the case, following
the step already taken by Secretary
of Agriculture Wilson to attribute the
entire gamut of eXorbitant prices to
the influx of foreigners and their re-
fusal to work at agricultural pursuits.
Retailers Charged More
But how this will explain away the
astounding difference between the job
bers' prices to public institutions and
those charged to retailers is beyond
conjecture. Why meat is considerably
cheaper in Chicago and Kansas CITY,
the distributive points, than In the dis
tricts from which it is supplied is an
other stunner for the politicians.
Why beef can be sold profitably at
cents to hotels and restaurants, yet
has to be sold at to 21@ cents higher
to retailers, and in turn at 10 to 10
cents higher by retailers to consumers
affords still another vexing problem.
In delaying the action against the
beef trust today it was stated that "a
change had been made because the
case against the packers was of such
grave importance that it was deemed
best that the twenty-three men impan-
eled on the federal grand Jury before
Judge K M. Lands should familiar
ize themselves with grand jury proceed
ure before considering the evidence"
1t was prOnllSSQS nON6NeI' llleiI IllO
case would go ahead as rapidly as pos
sible.
The firms against which 1t is an
nounced the government will proceed
are Armour g. Co., Swift & Co., and
Morris & Co., who, it is charged, con-
troll the National Packing company
for their own benefit and arbitrarily
regulate the prices and market supply
Many Subpoenas Served
Deputy United States marshals early
today were put to work with more than
a score of subpoenas and writs to bring
before the grand jury all packing
house employees and books of the three
companies involved.
Every precaution was taken to keep
the identity of the witnesses secret,
A large number of secret service oper-
atives have apparently been brought
here from other cities and it is believed
they will be used in serving subpoenas
and supplying evidence.
AT the city offices of the National
Packing company and Armour & Co. it
was said no subpoenas had been served.
Judge Lands in his charge to the
grand jury today declared it was
through information furnished by him
that the present proceedings were
started.
Judge Lands also said that after he
naQ QOIlIGQ Inc u llllCQ 0ldlcS ulSlIlCI
attorney in Chicago January 20 he was
surprised to see January % notices in
the newspapers coming ostensibly from
washington that the government Off
cials there had ordered the investiga-
ton.
1t was announced, however,s that ac-
tion on the beef trust investigation
would be postponed for a few days un-
til some docket cases had been con-
sidered.
"Having in mind the duty of the dis
trict attorney" said Judge Lands, 81
notified that office on the twentieth
OF the present month that on your as
senbling here today the court would
direct your attention to the subject of
the present investigation.
Regrets Publicity Given
ut is a source of profound regret
that two days later there began wide
spread newspaper publication OF mat
ter purporting to come from Washing
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