The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-30
ATTACK ON TRUST,
JUDGE SPEER CALLS GRA\D
JURY TO RELIEF OF PEOPLE.
Georgia Judge Severely Arraigns Beef
harohs, Who Are Alleged to be Re-
spOnsible for Distress Amono
Wage

savannah, Ga, April 27.-A grand
jury was drawn in the District Fed
eral Court here today and charged by
Judge Emory Speer with the dutv of
investigating the acts Of the so-called
beef trust through their representa-
tlves here, in so far as the fixing of
the price of meats is concerned. Judge
"Peer IN his charge referred to the
riots preceding the French revolution
and said:
Indeed, there seems to be no
small degree of smilitude between
the meat riots which have been TAX
ing place in the grea: cities of the
country and the terrific scenes which
led up to the reign of terror, and the
lncessant clanking of the guillotine."
He arraigned the agencies which if
Is alleged are responsible for the ex-
cessive cost Of the necessities of life.
To the grand jury Judge Speer
said:
You have been called together to
institute if proper, such prosecutions
as may tend to relieve the people
from what is deemed one of the
greatest burdens they now suffer, ana
that is the excessive cost of food You
may probably be restricted to the AL
legged activities eXerted by certain
representatives Of what is popularity
termed the beef trust That, it is
alleged, is a combination of a large
proportion Of the dealers in fresh
meat throughout the United States
not to bid against each other in the
live stock markets Of the different
States; to bid up prices for a few
days in order to attract large ship
ments by the breeders of cattle, then
to bid down prices so that the market
thus glutted can be bought in by the
conspiratOrs at their own figures and
to the ruin Of the breeders; to fix the
selling prices to the retail dealers,
and as a consequence to the public;
to use the great system of refrigera-
ton Of the packing houses and 9TH
er concerns to withhold the meats
from the market until the price has
attained extravagant proportions; 20
keep black list and to refuse to sup
~ retailers thus enrolled who decline
and neglect to obey the rules of the
trusts; to make uniform and improp-
er cha rges for the carriage; if pos
sible tC secure less than lawful freight
rates to the ruin Of competitors. and
all with the intent to monOpolize the
trade in fresh meats, to the oppres-
sion Of the people, to the impoverish-
ment of the wage Garner, or the SAL
airy Garner, to the enfeeblement Of
the laboring classes, to the piteous
hunger and distress of millions Of
people,"
Judge Speer read the law upon
which he was charging the Jury ana
concluded:
"Ah, gentlemen, the government
that disregards the necessities of the
plain people is unworthy of existence.
The cynical rich, whose jaded appe-
tite must be enlivened by the matr.
final cocktail before they begin ta
dawdle over the luscious breakfast
can have no conception of the keen
hunger Of the masses who may by
such combination as the law de-
nounces be deprived Of food as essen
tial to life as it is to the strength
which the daily eXertion of their en-
erGies brings to the increment Of the
national wealth."