The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-23
Attorney for Pa OK ers
Declares Effect Will
Be Widespread.
GREAT BUSIN ESS
UNDER INDICTMENT
At End of Opening Statements
for Defendants Court Adjourns
Until Tuesday, When First
Witness for Government
Will Take Stand-Jury
Closely Guarded.

Chicago. December 22.-counsel for
the ten Chicago meat packers
charged with combining to control the
price of meats In violation OF the
criminal sections OF the sherman law
j concluded their opening statements to
the jury to-day, and United States
District Judge George y. Carpenter
adjourned court until next Tuesday
morning. AT that time the nrst wit
ness for the government will take tho
stand.
The government will present its
case in chronological order. The first
witness VIII tell the story Of the "old
packers pool" which. 1t is charged
was in existence prior to the organi-
zation of the National Packing Com
9any in 1902, and which held weekly
meetings. at which, the government
charges, prices were fixed. Later con-
ditions which led to the formation OF
the National Packing Company then
Will be detailed, and in concluding its
case the government will cndeavor to
prove that the National Packing Com
pany was tho instrument the packers
used to continue the old pooling ar
engagements.
Three hundred witnesses will be
called by the government. and It is
, believed 1t will take several months
| to present their testimony. In addi-
ton to this. mass OF documentary
evidence will he offered BY the prose-
cution.
Jury CloseIy Guarded.
The jury will be closely guarded
during the adjournment of court, and
the twelve men. all of whom are mar
ried, will be Obliged to eat their
| Christmas dinner at downtown
! hotel.
! Attorney John Barton Payne. who
! Appeared for the National Packing
Company to-day. and Edwin Tllden.
its president, to-day read voluminous
leStracts from former United States
| Commissioner of Corporations James
r. Garfield on the packing industry
made in 1895 to refute the allegations
| of the government agains tho packers.
Attorney Payne. in his opening state
ment. said in part:
"As / view this case. II is not the
| indictment of the defendant but an
indictment of a great business. The
effect of this trial will be felt all over
| the world
For that reason I regard this mat
ter as of international Importance
Chicagos commercial supremacy al
ways has been closely linked with the
meat packing Industry.
The growth ana ucNeloplueHt VI
country made big business enterprises
necessary, and the packers were no eN-
ception TO the rule.
I'm 1905 United States Commissioners
of Corporations James r. Garfield. act
ing under the instructions OF Presi-
dent Theodore Roosevelt, made an In
vestigation OF the entire packing in
dustry, and submitted his report to
Congress. Many OF the questions
raised in this case were considered at
length In that report.
Garfield Report.
THE Garfield report admits that
hacking Industry as conducted ena bles
the farmer to get high price for his
cattle and allows the consumer to get
his meat at a lower price than If he
was Obliged to rely on local butchers"
said Attorney Payne.
Mr.. PAYNE read from the Garfield re-
port to show that the National Pack
ing Company had never been used by
the packers to control prices.
: lie said the earnings. of that corpo-
ration had never exceeded 1914 per
cent. on it's capital stock, and that
its profits on sales had never exceeded
l5a per cent.
Attorney John s. Miller. represent
ing the Armour interests. concluded
the opening statements of counsel for
the defense lie said meat prices were
regulated by the natural law of sup
ply and demand. and ridiculcd the sug-
gestion that the indicted packers had
the power to control the meat bust
ness of the country, even If they 50
desired.