The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-13
BIG MEAT TRUST
HEADS INDICTED
Continued from Page One.

PENDANTS in the purchase OF live cattle,
sheep and hogs and also In the sale OF
fresh meats throughout the United
States.
The indictment declares the method
adopted for so doing was first TO refrain
from bidding up the prices OF livestock;
second, TO agree upon uniform system
OF figuring the cost of meats sent TO
branch houses, which resulted in an en-
cessiye cost being placed upon the mer-
chandise.
The next step, says the Indictment.
was to force managers OF branch houses
to obtain this price. II any, margin less
agreed upon by all the defendants.
Next. IT is charged. the National Pack
ing company was used to obtain informa-
tion in all markets as to what branch
house managers were doing, said in
formation being sent 10 the Chicago Of
fees of the National company each week.
There 1t was accessible to the directors
OF the company. These reports. II is
charged, were used by all the concerns
as the basis OF orders for the next week S
business,
Stock Combine Alleged.
The indictment also charges that the
Swift. Armour and Morris interests held
stock In the National Packing company
IN proportions equal to the proportions
Of business done by the three houses
The second Indictment is practically
the same as the first except that con-
spiracy instead of combination in re-
Straint OF trade is charged.
The third indictment charges that the
packers have monopoized the trade in
fresh meats by the following means:
BY a combination eliminating compc-
tition in the purchase of cattle and in
the sales of meats.
BY conducting the business of the Ma
uonal Packing company, itself In har-
mony with the business of the Swift,
Armour and Norris interests,
BY removing the New York Butchers
I6 NoS i.ti lon, f,.1, 81,
field OF competition by purchasing stock
in that concern from time TO time until
control OF 1t was secured.
Armour's Statement,
J. Ogden Armour head OF Armour g.
Co. one of the packers indicted. issued
the following statement several hours
after the indictments were returned
Il deeply regret the bringing OF these
indictments. for the charges are un-
founded, as will be shown when the
cases come TO trial. The true facts will
then be made known, misunderstanding
and pre5udices have been the basis OF
these attacks.
The charges involve four packing
companies out OF 900 that are engaged
IN IN interstate packing business In the
Gnited states. The defendants do only
OF the entire country. Their entire
profits are not over q per cent OF their
total business This margin OF profit is
OF manufacturing business in the world
Yet we are attacked and assailed at
an times and from all quarters. When
TINS small margin of profit can be made
only by the strictest economy in the
utilizatlon OF every possible product
ieel That our business ought 10 be fos-
tered and encouraged by the entire coun-
Try rather than be constantly assaled
Denies Great Profits
Inc TACT that the business has been
conducted with the very smallcs, margin
OF proht is Itself "A demonstration that
no combination TO depress the cost OF
livestock or 10 increase the price Of
Iresh meats could have been possible.
Prejudice has arisen in the minds of
many on account OF the higher cost 10
the consumer OF pork and beef products
These higher prices are wholly due 10 The
higher cost OF livestock. This the grow
ers OF the country know During the
period OF these higher prices the packers
prohts nave been even less than the "a
per cent margin to which have already
referred e"u'