New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-29
Thew Control Rendering,
Soap and Fertilizer Indus
tries, Witnesses Say
Public Pays Steak
Prices for Waste
Competitors in Side Lines
Are Crushed by Unfair
Methods, Is Charge

BOSTON, Dec. 2S.- Squeezing q
|, Iii dealers out OF competition by the
,r.ce5 grasp Of the big packers upon
-, meat. rendering, soap and fertilizer
,,sgs,ries Of the country was depicted
s. witnesses to-day before the Federal
Trade Commission, which had trans
.,rre5 It's hearings into the meat in
3,s.rv and its relation TO the high
cost Of living temporarily to this city.
Francis j. Heney, special counsel for
she commission, said the packers con
rolled the rendering business from its
affection OF butchers waste 20 the
manufacture OF valuable by-products.
By their methods Of gaining control Of
rest scraps, TAT and bones, he added,
The commission sought TO show that the
nan who bought a steak or a roast
paid an unnecessarily high price for
hsdinner.
Witnesses engaged in the rendering
business asserted that the packers
stsed competition for tho collection Of
waste products by bidding up prices be
yond the reach Of the Independent deal
e.. By resortiur 20 the scheme Of giving
short weight FOR refuse, by giving bo-
ruses 20 retailers 20 break contracts
with competing rendering firms, by To-
nsntiug acitations against the erection
OF new competing rendering plants and
BE- dividing territory among themselves
By gcntlemen's agreements IN which
the trade Of a man opening & new
butcher shop was sold to the highcs;
bidder, transactions in which the
butcher had nothing to say.
Fund for Bonuses Maintained
in New England, It was testified, rem
tsrine companies which were trust
controlled maintained fund 20 pay
bonuses for the trade OF retailers at
points where Independent rendering
companies tried 70 compete,
Not only the rendering business but
even the corner store trade in meats
vas sought by the packers. witnesses
declared Large markets were estab-
hshed IN strategic positions in large
cities where packers named the price
at which meats could be sold st re-
1l, according 70 testimony. These
prices were said TO be below that at
which the small retailer could sell. As
s.result, &c was said, the neighherhood
batchers were closing Up their shops
In eyer-increasing numbers. because
n the Is
stores Witnesses named the Mohican
Company, which has a chain Of stores
throughout New England, &c specific
Instance Of this kind,
Thus, Mr.. Heney pointed out, the
hackers controlled the entire field OF
the cOuntry's meat business. At the
Washington hearing 10 was brought
out he said, that they controlled the
stock yards and the extensive terminal
facilities 800 Chicago. Now 10 was
shown. he continued, that they also
controlled the valuable by-products
from butcher waste and were making
business nearly unbearnble for the
small butcher
Had 60 Quit OF Join Combine
Many Of the witnesses heard to-day
gave their versions Of being driven out
u business by what they termed the
"trust," or Of getting into the combine
4 IN order 20 live.
John Glennie, of North Andover.
stated that he had refused an efer of
100000 for his plant which, according
20 his own estimate, was worth not
more than $4,000.
They rcsorted first TO the usual meth
DDS ne said Of bidding up prices for
80. 1vr kfr-ives Hfu IN
aud by leasing" away his customers
b. the bonus system.
FINALLY" he said, "a representative
q the combine came 90 me and said
very symnathetcally he was sorry, bat
u ] persisted in being stubborn 1t
would be necessary TO put me out Of
The business, much as the members OF
The combine hated 70 do so,
Even az the prices they boosted up
4 I was able 70 make - living. ! did
much Of tho work myself and knew
4 What my men were doing. | didn't
have the heavy overhead expenses Of
Tie combine
Wouldn't Live On Easy Money
40 you mean TO say" interposed
Commissioner Y. Il. Murdoch, who
4 lreslded. that you refused the diff
ierVnce between $4,000 and S25o,900
Tor the sake Of n fight"
u was out 90 earn a living" Glennie
sald, "snd If II Is necessary 20 fight
ior 70 IN fight. built my business up
With my own hands, and | won't have
u bought away from me by any such
methods as that. What ] get III earn
and ] went live on easy money
Giennie said he was willing TO fore
70 profits during the war, as method
{" doing his bit"
4 I'm wiling" he said, "to pay the
Z butcher so much for his waste mate
rails that he can afford to sell his meats
eteaper 20 the consumer. I'm willing
\ he var
i A second so-called "trus, bucker" TO
appear a. the hearing was +. j. McCaf-
Itey, who conducted. with his brother,
me What Cheer Chemical Company, Of
Eawtueket, x. /. he told OF meeting
tuh opposition In getting waste prod
4 se's and Of refusing offers 20 sell his
q business.
tar A. Avery. conducting an indie
& pendent rendering business in Worces-
- gave details of how, IS he put IL.
nc packers kept secret their control
eoth the meat and the rendering
selhess When he was employed by
wholesale meat firm in Manchester,
te said, be learned from the book
..eeper that there was a meeting of
ne wholesalers each week, where the
sSeount Of each customer was exam.
nee: The retailers were known by
.anber, and If a man owed ono packer
enl he couldn't buy from another
eaul Il was paid.
Efforts 10 Start Plat onnos.d