The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-09-19
WASHINGTON :, !:
NEWS'CULLINCS
BITTER ATTACK BY SPEC
IAL INTERESTS ON AD-
MINISTRATION MET.

MINISTRATION MET.
Washington, D. C.-That was
a pretty good comeback of the
Chamber of Commerce of the
United States in it's demand that
President Wilson repudiate the
irresponsible" federal trade
commission, that was sent the
president on August 81 by the
Farmers National Committee
on Packing Plants and Allied In
dustries. It reads:
I'VE feel that the commission
has performed a most notable
service through it's exhaustive,
careful investigation and thru
publication of a report, which,
based on documents from the
packers files, is beyond contro-
versy.
1T is our opinion that the
recommendations made by the
commission are peculiarly wise
and timely, and that if enacted
into law SO as to be permanent
in effect, they will break down
the monopolistic tendencies, open
up a field of fair competition,
correct most of the abuses Of
which we complain, as producers
and lead to economies in produc-
tion, shipment and treatment of
livestock and meat products, that
will secure benefits to the con-
sumers. We urgently favor these
recommendations as furnishing
a comprehensive, conservative,
careful platform upon which we
can all unite.
Certainly the stockyards, the
private cars and the distributing
centers for meat can not be con-
sidered as other than distribut-
ing facilities in connection with
the railroads. The logic of the
situation is obvious and, in our
opinion, the assumption by the
railroads of their proper termin-
al functions will prove the rem
edy which we earnestly desire."
If this statement, coming
from a committee made up of
high official representatives of
the Farmers union, Grange,
livestock associations, Equity,
Cleaners and other organiza-
tions, fails to counteract the
blow dealt by business friends of
the Big Five meat packers, then
a more definite and persistent de-
Tense of the public's interests
will be made. The marketing
committee of the American Ma
tional Livestock association is to
meet in Chicago shortly, and it
is to hold a further conference
in Washington on September 20
to deal with the legislation which
is being drafted to carry out the
recommendations of the federal
trade commission for national
izing the stockyards.
Delay in Telegraph Reforms. a
Postmaster General Burleson
has not moved rapidly, as yet, in
changing the telephone and tele-
graph system from it's awkward
competitive basis to the new ma
tional basis. Inquiry at the Of
flee of David J. Lewis, director
Of operations, brings no definite
answer as to when and how the
proposed improvements are to
be begun.
There are more than 12,000,-
600 telephone instruments oper-
ated by companies in the United
States, of which the Bell system
represents 100000, some 800
independent companies repre-
sent another 100000 and 10,-
900 smaller companies account
for the remaining 100000.
Outside Of this there are the 35,-
900 so-called farmer lines, with
an average Of, 40 instruments
each, or 100000 farmer tele-
phones.
The telegraph companies are
few in number perhaps 20 in
all. The Western Union has L.
600, 900 miles Of wire and the
Postal about 100000 miles Of
wire. The rest have only q very
small total mileage.
Up to date Mr.. Burleson ap-
pears to have done nothing more
drastic than call upon the COM