The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-25

CHICAGO, March 25.-The closing
scene in the nine years legal fight of
the United States government was
enacted in Federal Judge Carpenter s
court today when Attorney Pierce
Butler, OF the great array of trust
busters" serving the government,
made his final plea for the conviction
OF the men charged with the RESPONSE
bility for the abuses charged against
the meat trust. ranging all the way
from combination in restraint of trade
TO laying the foundation for the pres
ent high cost of living"
Although the court has frequently
beer crowded with spectators eager
10 hear the pleas OF the attorneys, the
ten defendants in the criminal charge
haYt seldom all attended the sessions
BY them the trial is regarded as but
one of score of attacks made, most
ly. by political demagogues, hoping to
secure temporary benefit for them
selves by seeking 10 make the build
ers OF one OF Americas greatest In
dus tries appear as malfactors.
The arguments of the lawyers
have closely resembled the oratorical
efforts of political spellbinders, dis
political causes for and effect of the
Sherman antitrust law and the need
for supervision over the countrys
big business"
Buffers winding up before the jury
of the governments case was par.
ticularly bitter attack upon the mo-
lives OF the defendants. He said
"The Sherman antitrust law is not
an effort OF the government TO saddle
load onto the business of the coun-
: try. This law was absolutely required
by the necessity of economic develop
ment Our great corporations We're
Growing abusive of the privileges be-
slowed upon them. The law was en-
acted as a remedial measure TO stop
the wrong being done the public. IL
Is not strictly a penal law and the
strict construction required in or
binary criminal cases should be re-
Taxed and consideration had of the
rule in civil cases-proof by a pre-
ponderance OF evidence.
"Your decision in this case will
establish an important precedent for
the protection of the public against
private exploitation in the first neces-
sary Of life-meat.
This law is not ambiguous as the
attorneys for the packers would have
you believe, but it is plain, simple
aud applicable in every case of its
violation There has been a violation
here and II was not unintentlonal, but
specific. The violation was in de-
fance of this law. There can be no
question of the spirit of wrong-do!ng
which prompted these violations, as
an order of the court-Judge Gross
cups Injunction In 1903-put these
defendants on their guard as to viola
tons. Their subsequent acts were in
violation of the courts order as we'll
rs OF the statute. =
"The criminality of the defendants
has been proved by abundant evil
dence-the formation OF the trust
first in the old pool. then in the un-
named association which held secret
meetings i'm the office OF A. III. Veeder
which were enjoined by Judge Gross
cup and finally by the organization of
the National Packing Co. When the
effort to organize a billion dollar
trust had failed, this National Pack
ing Co., was organized to give the
!, cloak of legality and legitimate bust
ness purpose to the unlawful and i'm
proper methods used by these de-
PENDANTS to manipulate the market for
meats and extort higher prices from
the public. The strong circumstan-
tial evidence of guilt has been
produced The test costs. memoran
dun costs and profit margins sent to
all their branch house managers and
O. KID by some OF these defendants,
furnish the strongest evidence.
"The illegitimate combination has
continued since the old pool was en-
joined. This great packing business
has not been developed through an
evolution of the industry for the pur-
yposes OF economy and efficiency. but
ii has been built up solely for the pur-
pose of profit.making for the owners
Buffers address will be followed by
Judge Carpenters charge TO the jury,
II was expected that the case would
be given into the hands of the jury
: late this afternoon. Juror H. l..
Bucklen, whose illness caused a post
poned Friday, was fully recovered to-
DAY.