Arizona republican., 1916-02-20
A Graspinq Trust

An Associated Press dispatch from Denver Fri day morning reminds us that the control which the beef trust marketing conditions, into which a committee of the American Live Stock As sociation, under direction the late convention of the association at Fl Faso, has instituted an in qury is the most remarkable all the history of trade and industry. It is such control could be eXer- csed only by organization possessing the most dangerous power It has been able to do what other monopoly has accomplished the com mittee expects prove that it has at defiance the law of supply and demand. For limited periods other combinations have been able to disturb var markets, but only brief periods. The beef has for many years make the prices of it's products and to control the prices of live stock between which prices and the prices of the varied packing house products there has been the slightest relation.
 Not long ago The Republican printed a of the profits and losses of a large stock grower of Nebraska for period of several years Some years showed profit but more of them loss, without re- ference the prices of beef the sup ply of live stock during those years. But in all those years the beef trust made increasing profits.
 The large packing houses control not only the stock industry of this country but they large control of the industry in the principal stock grow ing countries of the world that besides their selfish interest buyers adverse the interests of the producers they have the interest of the competing foreign producer. The position of the beef trust with respect the stock industry this country much the that of the sugar with respect to the domestic sugar industry which the trust nearly throttled in the Underwood bill and would have destroyed but for the exigences of the which have made it necessary for the govern to retain the duty sugar which the bill pro- posed to wipe May of this year
 But the sugar trust has such hold the do- mestic situation the beef trust has been able to establish upon the stock growing business of the country through it's ownership operation of union stockyards, terminals and exchange buildings every important market center, and through it's control of refrigerator and icing facilities We need not speak of the extension of it's activities into other fields, it's control of the fertilizer market and of the fruit and vegetable packing and preserving industry.
 In the Denver dispatch it shown that withstandng the imports of live stock had decreased greatly last year. exports of had greatly increased those of other years also that the profits of the packers while those of the feeders disappeared
 If the consumers were the beneficiaries of the lower prices of cattle, sheep and hogs altruistc stockman might view the situation with some degree of equanimty. But when he sees the growing profits of the packers he knows that both he and the con- have been mulcted
 The department of agriculture has been requested by the live stock association to give publicity the receipts of live stock the important markets the stocks of meats hand and the prices of meat products both wholesale and retail that the public gain idea of the profits of the packers. With this information widely disseminated, it is hoped that state legislatures and congress may be induced by interested citizens legislation as will relax the grip of the trust both the producer and the consumer.