The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-02
THE PACKING TRUST.
BUTCHERS TELL TRADE COM
MISSION HOW SMALL DEAL
ERS HAVE BEEN RUN
OUT.
Hearing Held I'm Boston Productive OF
Much Observation-Disclosures Alleg-
ed to be in Complete Control Of the
Rendering Business.

| Boston, Dec 2S-Squeezing of
small dealers out of competition by
the Alleged grasp of the big packers
upon the meat rendering, soap and
! fertilizer industries Of the country
were depicted by witnesses today be-
fcre the Federal Trade Commission,
which has transferred it's hearing into
tho meat industry and it's relation to
the high cost of living temporarily to
this city.
Farncis j. Heney special counsel
for the commission, said the packers
controlled the rendering business from
its collection Of butchers waste to
the manufacture of valuable dye-pro-
ducts. By their methods Of gaining
control of meat scraps, fat and bones,
he added, the commission sought to
!. show that the man who bought a
steak or a roast paid an unnecessarily
high price for his dinner.
Witnesses engaged in the rendering
business, asserted the packers, stiflei
competition for the collection Of
waste products by bidding up prices
beyond the reach of the independent
dealer, by resorting to the scheme of
giving short weight for refuse by CIV
ing bonuses to retailers to break con-
tracts with competing rendering firms,
by fomenting agitation against the
erecting Of new competing rendering
plants and by dividing territory
among themselves by "gentlemen's
agreements" in which the trade Of
a man opening a new butcher shop
was sold to the highest bidder,
transactions in which the new butch
er had nothing to say. In New Eng
land. it was testified, rendering COM
panies which were trust-controlled
maintained fund to pay bonuses for
the trade Of retailers at points where
Independent rendering companies
tried to compete.
Not only the rendering business,
but even the corner store trade in
meats was sought by the packers,
witnesses declared. Large markets
were established in strategic positions
In various large cities where packers
named the price at which meats could
be sold at retail, according to testi-
mony.
Thus, Mr. Henry pointed out, the
i. packers controlled the entire field Of
the country's meat business At the
Washington hearing it was brought
out. he said. that they controlled the
stock yards and the extensive termi-
nal ABILITIES in Chicago.
Many Of the witnesses heard today
gave their version of being driven out
of business by what they termed the
trust" or of getting into the combine
in order to live. Two of the witnesses
enlivened the session by voicing their
defiance to the packers
John Glenni. of North Andover,
man Of the rugged type, stated that
he had refused an offer of $3.50, 600
for his plant which, according to his
own estimate. was worth not more
than $4,000.
This offer was made, he said, when
the trust" tried to put him out of
business. They resorted first to the
usual methods, he said, of bidding up
prices for war materials, By hiring
away his men and by leasing" away
hiS customers by the bonus system
Finally" he said, "a representa-
tive of the combine came to me and
said very emphatically he was sorry,
but If 1 persisted in being stubborn il
would be necessary to put me out of
business"
, "And you persisted" asked Mr..
Heney
Il went into their territory after
their business" Glenni replied. Even
at the prices they boosted up. I was
able to make a living. I did much of
the work myself and knew what my
men were doing"
But do you mean to say" inter-
posed Commissioner Victor Murdock.
who presided. that you refused the
difference between $500 and $3.50.
600 for the sake of fight?"
Il was out to earn a living" said
Mr.. Glenni. And if it is necessary to
fight for 1t I will fight I built up
my business with my own hands and
won't have it bought away from me
by any such methods as that. What
get I'll earn and l won't live on easy
money"