Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-11
Up, Cp, Ever Up.

The price of beef is at the highest
point ever known in time of peace.
The exactions of the beef trust have
led to a demand by the United Master
Butchers association of New York for
the elimination of the tariff on ami
mails used for human food" TO which
is attributed SO a great extent" the
higher cost of living.
Indicating the extent Of the shelter
ed protection afforded by the best tar
if bill ever passed. is this statement
covering the entire list Of packing
house products:
Every calf handled by the trust is
covered by a duty of 50. This applies
TO all cattle less than one year old.
Last year the packers handled 100000
calves at their seven western packing
house centers, and more than 100000
at seven interior points representing
in all $780, coo in duty protection.
Every middling steer dealt in by the
trust is covered by a duty Of 1915 per
head. This applies to all cattle valued
at not more than S14 per head. Each
prime steer valued at more than S14
per head would pay duty If imported
of 271a per cent. There were handled
in 1909 at the seven chief packing
points more than 100000 cattle, plus
LOO, 900 cattle at the seven lesser in
terror centers of 100000 IN all, at
S3.75 per head III duty; this represents
more than S41,0OO,OO0 in protection,
which means just SO much room to
turn around IN" in the matter OF price
charged to the consumer.
On hogs the trust IS protected to the
extent Of an import duty of $3.50 per
head. The packers handled last year
$4,000, geo hogs at the seven chief cen
ters and 100000 hogs at the seven
lesser points, aggregattng 100000
swine, representing $34,500,000 in duty
protection in the matter of price.
On sheep the duty is $3.50 per head;
on lambs, 70 cents per head. The trust
and it's allies handle an average Of
100000 sheep and lambs a year pro-
teCtcd by duty to the extent on an av-
erage Of 100000.
On poultry the trust is protected by
a duty of cents a pound on live fowl
and ) cents q pound on dressed fowl.
Butter and oleomarGarine, the latter
ed by duty of cents a pound.
Eggs, which the trust handles to
enormous quantities in its refrigerator
cars, pay a duty when imported of )
cents q dozen.
Bacon and hams are protected to
the extent of cents a pound
Fresh beef, veal, mutton, lamb and
pork-the chief products of the beef
trust-by reason of the growth in the
cold storage business, are protected by
an import duty of IL cents pound.
AS the trust voluntarily ships its cold
storage meat to England and sells it
there at price lower than the price
in the United States, the duty repre-
sents an actual tax on the American
consumer to the extent of Il cents
a pound.
Lard, which the trust now makes in
such quantities as to control the mar
ket, bears an import duty of IL cents
a pound.
Tallow, a trust product, is dutiable
at half a cent a pound This touches
all users of talIow candles.
Glue, made from the hoofs of cattle,
Is protected 10 IlS eAlShI VI = 2 SSA~S
pound.
Certain greases and grease paints
handled by the trust as a by-product
are covered by a duty of 20 per cent.
On fancy or perfumed toilet soaps the
duty is 80 per cent; on medicated
soaps, 20 per cent; on ordinary toilet
soaps, 20 per cent. The trust is heav-
/ lily in soap, directly or indirectly.
Cheese, which the trust handles In
| it's cold storage plants and refrigera-
tor cars, is protected by a duty of 6
cents a pound.
Milk, fresh, which the beef trust and
the Standard Oil capitalist are fight
ing to control, is dutiable at 2 cents
gallon; cream at cents gallon; con-
densed at 2 cents a pound.
D,riad eeps or egg and blood albu-