Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-05
Alleged Price
Fixing Of Meat
PACKERS SCORED BEFORE HOUSE
JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE
BY FORMER CATTLEMEN
Jail Sentences Instead of Fines Urged
to Make Laws Prohibiting Restraint
gent.

Washington, April "A former
Kansas governor, w. r. Stubbs. and a
former Missouri Judge, w. H. Wallace,
who said they had learned by raising
cattle themselves that meat packers
by price fixing combinations were
crushing livestock growers, pleaded
with a house judiciary subcommittee
today to aid in inaugurating sweeping s
reforms in the packing industry. They
appeared as counsel for western grow
ers and feeders. Speaking on the
Borland resolution now before the sub
committee, which would order q fed
eral trade commission inquiry 10 de-
terInine whether the packers are vio-
lating the antitrust laws, they en-
Iorsed the proposal strongly and sug
| gested making laws prohibiting the
restraint of trade in foodstuffs gen
orally more stringent. Jail sentences
instead of fines were particularly
urged.
Fines Are Not Effective.
Fines are jokes" Mr.. Stubs de-
clared. They are not effective. The
producers and the consumers pay the
penalty Anyone who juggles with the
prices of food when millions are strug-
Cling for bread should be imprisoned
and not fined. Forty per cent. of the
feed lots in this country are empty
Nearly every stoclIman that 1 know
believes there is packers trust"
Packing Combination Denounced.
Mr.. Wallace, who prosecuted the
James train robbers, heatedly de-
nOunced the alleged packing combina-
ton.
I'VE are after a worsepcrowd now
| than the James boys" he declared
| These fellows steal more money IN a
week than the James boys did in their
whole career"
- - L r.
By affidavit and testimony as to his
| personal experiences te judge sought
TO prove that combinations had existed
among packers in the Kansas City
yards within the last few ye1rs. He
submitted an affidavit from Leo Burns
! a former stock yards employe, declar-
| ing that Kansas City and Chicago
/ packing houses were in constant COM
| municatiOI regarding proposed pur-
/ chases from Spectators. An alFidavit
| SiSnGd by Earl Cooper declared thai
! before the packers came into posses.
! sion of the Kansas City yards he useC
( TO visit the yards at night and supply
! them with Information as TO the mum
! Der of livestock on hand prior to tht
| opening of the market.
Received Only One Bid.
On one occasion. the judge asserted
he received only one bid on 4 hunCl
of cattle at the Kansas City yards laC
learned later that they were divide,
between two packing concerns.
Arthur Meeker, vice pdesident o
Armour and Company, promptly cues
toned the accuracy OF the Judge
| statement reSardinE one buyer for tvyt
houses. Walter L. Fisher. attorney 70
the American National Livestock As
sociatiOn, interjected the declaration
| that he would be able to prove tha
such a practice was not uncommon
Mr.. Fisher produced a sales slip from
the Kansas City yards, which, he de
clared, showed that one buye- ha,
purchased eighty-siX cattle from
raiser aid that Morris and Compan,
and the Cudahy Packing company hat
divided them equally.
EnIiVening Exchanges.
The session was enlivened by ex
changes between Mr.. Fisher and MI
Meeher over the proposal of the pack
ers to submit their books to the de
partment of agriculture to prove tina
they are not making an unfair prof
and the counter-prOposal fthe pro
ducers that a tribunal with subpoeni
powers make the examination. Ono
during the day Mr.. Meeker declare,
that he was willing to have an inqui
sitorial body with subpoena power
conduct the examination but later n
insisted on his original proposal O
leaving the proposed investigation t
| the deDartmROt of aprfrult11ra