The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-05
PACKERS WELCOME
FULLEST INQUIRY
stock RaiScrs Insist on Fed
cral Trade Commission
Conducting IT.
THEY ASSAlL "TRUST"

WAsHtNGToN. April 4.--Assurance.
from representatives Of the beef packer,
that they would welcome an investiga.
ton OF their books In lieu of an inou.r,
by the Federal Trade Commission were
rejected nv the representatives Of tho
stock raiscrs at the hearing to-day bo
fore the subcommittee OF the Hous,
Judiciary Committee on tho Borlanc
resolution providing for an investigation
Walter !. Fisher Of Chicago demanded
that the Information regarding the cos,
of production of beef he given before q
tribunal and under oath.
W will give you all the information
YOU want suggested Arthur Mecker,
Nice-presideut Of Armour & Co
"Authorize the Department OF Agricul.
ture to employ accountants AMI they car
20 through our books from stem ia
stern"
w want a tribunal which can ad-
minister an OATH demanded MIR. Fisher,
What is the value of an oath % asked
Mr.. Meeker This is not a question OF
oaths. hut of books"
I'VE want to be In n position to prose.
cute these witnesses for perjury II neces-
sary." retortei Mr.. Fisher.
For n comprehensive Inquiry.
Both the packers and the stockmcn
agreed that II any Investigation is under
taken il should he comprehensive in
scope and should include the prices OF
beef to the consumer as we'll as the
prices paid the stock raiser and the cos;
of production
THE consumer" said Representative
Borland. "is just as much a sufferer a;
the hands OF this combination rs the
producer"
Ex-Gov. W. r. S,ubbs of Kansas.
w. ". Wallace, Kansas city. represent
ing the Cattle. Swine and Sheep Breed
ers Association. and NJ. l.. Mcclure,
president of the National Stock Ex-
change. AL described the inluuities of the
alleged packers combination.
Mr.. Mcclure said that live stock was
the only product that had not advanced
In price since the war began.
THE losses to producers OF cattle"
he said. have been caused by restricted
competition and u decrease in the num-
Der OF buyers. While the packers have
been rolling in wealth the cattle farmers
have been suffering. Last year the beef
trust did a business Of more than
$1,000. O00. O0O"
Mr.. Stubbs advocated an appropriation
OF $2So,0o0 TO he expended by the Fed
eral Trade Commission and added:
secret Work Charged.
Forty per cent. of the feed lots in the
Southwest are empty because Of the un-
certainty in the beef market. Nearly
every stockman I know believes there
Is "A packers trust, hut It's members are
as sly as a fox. They carry on their
WORN in secret and successfully cover
up their racks"
Judge Wallace said the only thing the
cattle farmers get out Of the packers
for their product Is n free ride on the
caboose OF a freight train.
The packers" he said. are robbing
the farmers right and left. They own
everything connected with the meat bust.
ness. They have built up "A h~ydraheaded
monster and are %swindling my country.
men. This committee is after a worse
crowd h the lanes boye ever thought
of being
Mr.. Wallace suggested that the commits
sion should gather the evidence and lay
all the facts before the Department of
Justice as "A basis for criminal prose-
cution.