The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-26
Attempted to Bring Influence
to Bear on President
Wilson
DECLARED HENEY
TO COMMISSION
Joint Telegram Sent to Will
son b. TJme Detroit
mixers


%s +. a.nn.s ID the PaeGs :" s9ss nasnts ntsrss
, to bear = President Wilson to have
the pr - investigation stopped. lie
said he wodld show that the joint tele-
gram recently sent the president by a
number of Detroit bankers, protesting
that the investigation was disturbing the
economic conditions, had been inspired
by the packers.
Heney said that Armour & Co. had
been found to control the Kansas City
street railways and that evidence of the
packers influence in the tin industry had
been discovered. Heney said the packers
control over financial institutions is so
great that recently, when an independent
packer asked for loan from a big New
York bank, the bank wrote to Thomas f.
Wilson of Wilson & Co., asking if credit
should be extended He charged that five
big packers had so divided live stock
buying throughout the country that COM
petition between them is limited.
Activities behind the scenes in Wash
ington during agitation in 1916 for an in
vestigation into the livestock and pack
ing industry were also revealed in CORE
spondence taken from the confidential
files of Swift & Co. of Chicago, showing
the efforts of the big packing firms to de-
feat any inquiry into their business.
During the period covered by the cor
respondence there were pending in Con-
gress resolutions introduced by Repre-
sentative Borland of Missouri and Doo-
little OF Kansas, proposing inquiry into
conditions of livestock marketing which
cattlemen had charged permitted the
packers to manipulate the market as
they chose. A report on the situation
made by counsel to G. f. Swift, jr., and
other officers of the firm said:
I'VE believe the situation to be serious
and recommend that everything be done
in every direction to head off the present
movement. We believe, that as it stands
to-day, nothing could stop criminal prose
cutions."
In addition to working in Washington,
the packers went to the source of agita
tion for an inquiry Their records
showed that they were kept informed of
the plans of the American National Live
stock association by T. w. Tomlinson,
its secretary, and made their prepara
tions to nullify the associations work.
In addition, educational work" was un-
dertaken at the associations conventions.
Immediately after the Borland resolu-
tion was introduced in Congress, accord
ing to the record, Armour, Swift and
Morris arranged to oppose it. Later,
Cudahy was asked to join them because
it was suggested that counsel for that
firm had powerful acquaintances" in
Washington.
i. c. McManus, counsel for Swift pro-
ceeded to Washington to keep in touch
with developments. If the resolution
could not be made to die in committee.
the packers proposed ito draw herring
across the investigation trail" as Com
missioner Murdock phrased it, by having
he bureau of markets commence publ
,ation of livestock and beef price data,
which they hoped would make an investi-
yation unnecessary. Failing that, it was
proposed to have any investigation touch
merely the economic phases of the indus
ry and be conducted by the bureau of
rather than the federal trade
though the commission was
referred to a congressional committee
S likely to be less influenced by political
onsideration.
In connection with reference to an ef-
ort to obtain governmental publication
+ price figures furnished by themselves,
v an amendment to the agricultural ap-
ropriation bill, Mr.. Heney announced
hat this matter would be the subject
t very interesting" documents to be
1troduced to-day.
According to the evidence, as time for
earrings on the Borland resolution drew
ear the Doolittle resolution having been
ropped. many emissaries were sent to
Washington. Senator Wadsworth of
ew York. who Heney said, was stock
older in Swift & CO.. was appealed to
,r aid. w. H. Gates. at that time chair
ian of the Democratic state committee
I Colorado, according to the documents,
ported ON the attitude of various sem
tors and congressman, especially his
lend, Senator Thompson of Kansas,
HON he characterized as a good man to
ay close to-
Gates also reported. that advisers of
ie president declared that he opposed
e Borland resolution as disturbing to
lsiness Attention was called in this
nnection to the fact that the present
vestigation' was undertaken on express
ders of the president. Another report
id that one of the conditions in favor
the packers was that the administra
IN must come before the corporations
NTAlN lNi fhiiAttdi Nhu1Ni tfAiNt1f a. hHt
INVENTION is almost al hand
f. Dana Durand. former director of
Q census. but in 1916 member of the
Guilty of the University of Minnesota,
- asked BY the packers 10 appear be-
re the Judiciary subcommittee which
d the Borland resolution under eonsid-
alton. TO say that he thought the pro-
sed investigation virtually had been
1ered by previous inquiry. He re-
sed because Of his former connection
th the government. hut undertook
p to Washington regarding the plan
substituting price data.
Il Mr. Duraud had appeared before The
nuittee the packers planned 10 havn
me friendly committeeman" provided
% facts and questions which thew
.hed brought out. No names were
in this connection Mr.. Hencv
roducrd a capv of letter of protest
.ticn bv Mr. BoFiand 90 q colleague
ru postpoueuent 81 The hearing vas
cateued. The oapy was taken FROM
Gle. I'd Salft s 90. n bore m name.
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