The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-29
CATTlE-BUYING PART
OF BIG five SYSTEM
Zach Concern Allowed to Receive Fix
ed Ration for Lave Stock
Shipped TO Market.
HENEy REVELATIONS GROW.
Free Iancess'' Make Trouble for Or
eanixcd Meat Industry by Unau-
thorized Invasion of Range Ooun-
try.

Washington, Jan. 2s.--Tracing the
ramifications in the operation of the
"big five" packing industries. Francis
y, Heney today placed before the fed
sral trade commission evidence that
the nations cattle business Is entirely
in the hands OF the so-called meat
trust
Through an elaborate rationing sys-
tenn. the evidence showed, the Swift,
Armour. Morris. Wilson and Cudshy
companies co-operated in the pur-
chase of live stock from the ranches.
Reney, after Introducing a score OF
letters and kilograms in support of
his contention, asked adjournment of
the proceedings pending the exalni-
nation OF additional documents taken
from the Alas of the packers. which
will be presented tomorrow.
Senator William H. Thompson, OF
Kansas City. named in the correspond
ence OF the packers, exposed the oper-
htfons Of Washington lobbyists. many
OF whom were engaged in meat opera
lions. They were branded as liars.
From the confidential archives of
The Swift company the federal inves-
ttgators drew the documents which
revealed the trade understanding and
ave" They showed Denver and Fort
Worth as the Armour Swift territory.
with Kansas City and Chicago in the
Joint control of the packing centers.
The division of purchasing cattle
was so evenly carried out that of lso.-
600 head shipped from Fort worth in
1916 there were only four animals an
accounted for A,r, Heney said after
checking the packing records Every
thing here IN on a $3.50 basis Phil
lip d. Armour wrote 70 his uncle. j.
Ogden Armour, when In Denver. octo~
Der 10. 1918.
While the divisions on the loose loss
files submitted ia 'evidonce appeared
10 bc AMIGA bic. torresuon3.
from the office Of 7. Il Wilson iu6t-
Gated 8that free i8ncers" for = tinte
operated In the interests Of the SViz-
berger ami sons company in territory
already allotted.
las soon the matter was taken
UP with the Sulzherger and Sons com
pany they discontinued t." letter
from Arthur MerAcr. vice president Of
Armour eoulpaus 20 r. r. Wilson
showed
Il could hardly believe that one 81
our BUYERS would Interfere IA any way
when another buye was trying 70 buy
cattle. have always instructed our
buyers positively not to do this. as we
zach ether, g II Hi. buyer for the
Wilson concern wrote to the head Of
the company April a. 1916
The cerrernpndence regarding com
petition 10 the neld. according 70 the
letters. followed complaint that IS
"speculator+ described as Red Muir
phT rad operated under the guiss #
being = Sulsberser agent
In 1871 the national division Of
hog purchase was divided on a
II reenteE" basis providing 1901 for
tire Swtfts 80 - Tor the ArmouTs.
1877 fnr The Morrises 1904 for the
Cu6ahHs ard S96 for The Wilson's.
Hescr said he read from the docu
n7cnts
Cattle buying percentage IN 1915
1915 was apport!oued 245s for
Swift g Tor Armour. 1856 for Nor
ris 1924 for wilson and a,5T for
Cudahy." the investigator added
UcneY during the reading OF tele
grams and memoranda declared that
through t7e ownership OF stock yards
and termns17 he packers were able
10 prevent independent invasion Of
their business He pointed TO mes
sages which showed that daily re-
ports were sent out 70 the packing
offices in Chicaso. giving the number
of animals purchased by the field
buyers gave stop orders" to keep
from overlap piping the purchasing ra
fion.
Before the investig CATION Was re-
sumsd Senator Thorn p@on requested
10 be sworn. He submitted "a state +
!nent from W. II. Gates. former
chairman Of the Colorado Dem ocrstic !
state committee. denying that any !
thing had been said regarding this /
employment Of Thompsons law firm |
while the Boriand resolution was
pending. as mentioned in a com !
nlunication reed into the record last /
week.
Senator Thompson said his Arm (
had agreed NOT to accept legal retain
ezra from the packers Put he added +
that lobbyists had been on his trail |
Il might add that he In lly |
liar" Commissioners Murdock said in I
caaraoterizing the lobby agent He I
IS fellow that follows you TO your (
seciusion or tries to and then follows
YOU up like a little dog. | think that +
a dead line ought 70 be drawn around t
the Capitol and professional lobby |
- raf. ~ ffaa