Gunnison news-champion., 1918-02-08
HOW THE PACKERS GOuGED
THE STOCkGROWER
Heating Writes Of the
Heney Investigation Which J.
Building a Fire Under the big
Six" Packers
(By Edward keating)
Congressman from the Third Colo
rado nis' rIct

. Congressman IEOtl TIC lHAEu-SoAp-
rado District.
Washington, ID. C.-AbOut one year
ago a Congressman from Missouri
named Borland introduced q resolu
tion providing for an Inyestigation OF
the so-calleG packers trust. Borland
charged that the packers we're in Z
combination which enabled them 70
fix the price they would pay the cattle
man for his cattle as well as the price
they would charge the consumer for
the finished product.
BOrland's resolution was referred 20
the Judiciary committee and a great
deal Of opposition developed. Con
gressmen began receiving letters from
bankers and other business men and
from Z some cattlemen protesting
against any "agitation" which would
disturb business" Certain member
of congress suddenly developed a great
desire to be- economical.
These Investigations never amount
TO anything" they assured those who
would listen. why waste the public
funds"
Record Vote Secured
Eventually Borland forced his res
olutiou TO q vote and i passed. For
tunatcly a record vote call was secured
80 those who favored and those who
opposed the inquiry are pretty well
known.
The investigation has been carried
on by the Federal Trade Commission
which has as its chief counsel, Fran
els J. Hcrcy. who won national fame
thru his prosecution Of the San Fran
cisco boodlrrs. Hcney has captured
the confidential CORES spOndcncc of the
packers agents and he l.placing IT be
fore the members Of the commission
and incidentally before the people of
his nation.
These papers reveal an interesting
story It would appear that the let
tars and kilograms received by con-
grrssmcn from from bankers, cattle
men and others were inspired by the
representatives. OF the packers.
I'VE all agree tha, II is necessary
70 food the judiciary committee with
( letters and kilograms Of protest was
/ the message wired from Washington
| by ono Of the packcrs' trusted men.
He suggested that the packers friends
/ use varied language in expressing
their views. This was TO prevent con-
[ gressmpn discovering that one brain
| inspired all the messages.
Lobbyist Meets Congressman
Another lobbist told Of conferences
/ he had with members of Congress who
were friendly to the packers, he said
they calmly considered the best way
| to kill the resolution.
Three courses were open, he said.
[ First, the resolution might be dubbed
| to death in committee while a Ger ain
member who could not be controlled
was out of the city. The weakness of
| this scheme lay in the fact that vic ory
| for the packers in the House m ght
stir the Senate to action. Second. the
committee might report the resolu-
! tion without recommendation. The
| lobbist thruout this would be most
satisfactory to the packers weak
| kneed friends.
Personally, he was opposed to both
propositions and as a substitute sug
gested a third plan. Which was wor-
thy of Machiayelli.
Broaden the resolution SO as to COW
er everything under the sun, he urged,
and recon m ended big appropriation.
probably fail to pass, but if it did get
| tnFu tne lHNestlkdllon Wouih pe 81
long drawn out that it would have~no
effect on the public mind.
Where Conspirators Failed
The testimony shows that the pack
ers adopted the last suggestion and
endeavored to SO arrange matters that
one Of their trusted attorneys would
be engaged by the Federal Trade Com
mission to conduct the inquiry.
The conspirators fell down when it
became necessary to control the Fed
eral Trade Commission. q That body is
composed Of men who have been care
fully selected by President Wilson for
just such work as the investigation Of
the packers. Instead of employing the
trusts attorney they induced Heney
to become their chief advisor and he
went after the task in characteristic
| fashion.
He has not only laid bare the ef-
forts of the packers to control Con-
gresss but he has demonstrated the
existence of a combination which is
robbing both the producer and the
consumer of American beef. Grimm
al prosecution should follow, but the
government should not stop there.
| The stockyardS and hacking plapts