The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-26
HENEY TURNS
UP INSIDE DOPE
ON BEEF KINGS
Joint Message Sent by Detroit
Bankers Complaining That Ex-
pose Is Hurting Business.
PACKERS FIGHT STOCKMEN
Investigators Show Financial
Ramifications Of Meat
Industry.
FIGHT sToCKMEN

Washington, Jan 26.-The big pack
ing interests were charged today b!
John Francis Heney, special counse
in the Federal Trade commissions in
vestigati0n into the packing industr,
with having attempted to bring in
fluence to bear on President Wilson
TO have the present investigation stop
ped
Mr. Heney told the commission tina,
he would show later that joint tele
gram rocent'v sent to the president by
a number of Detroit bankers protest
-.II ,na. .nc investlgatlUn Was disturb
ing economic, conditions. Livestock
buyers throughout the United States
hy the five big packers which would
have the effect of eliminating compe
tition among them was also charged
by Mr. Heney on the basis of memor
andum taken from confidential files
of Edward F.. Swift.
Mr. Heney's statement was made ir
connection with the reading of fur
ther confidential documents taker
from the file of tae Chicago packers
which showed that the packers plan
led an elaborate campaign in 1916 tc
Influence congressman against order
ng an investigation into the livestock
Ind meat packing industry, as was
proposed in the EOrland resolution:
~ Made by Counsel =.
The recommendation was made by
counsel for the packers that they
should undertake to have the judi
ciary committee flooded with tele
grams from all oyer the country, espe
tally the Z" congressional districts
where the mem oers came from, pro
testing against passage of the Bor
land resolution, on the grounds that
livestock was selling at very satisfa2
ory prices and any Investigation
would only disturb such satisfactory
conditions. 49, -
1T is quite important to reach Gard
of Hamilton, Ohio,' the lemorandum
If counsel reads. "Perhsp.; Proctor
If Cincinnati knows him.
"Put Something Over"
Questioned by Commits si>n'r Muir
dock, Mr. Heney said the Proctor r.
ierred to was the soap manufacturer.
Mr.. Murdoch found considerable IN a
sentence of the memorandum which
recommended all the messages should
be varied. He said it was The psychol-
ogy of congressman that when they
received a large number of kilograms
identical in form, they suspected some
body of trying to put something
over,' which undoubtedly was recog'
1ized by the packers also lndica-
lion that the packers had advance
Information of what the packers were
loing in regard to the B0rlana resolu"
ion was taken from the flies Of Will
,on & Co., but which carried Lcta-
ion showing that it was sent to all Of
he five big packing companies. The
memorandum said:
Wanted Secret Kept.
"Mr. Faulkner Counsel for Armour)
,as received word from Washington
hat the Borland hearings have been
'efjn'tely set for lure IS. DO not
mention the fact that we have this
.dvance information as the official
word probably will be out within a day
or two. 1t is not believed that Mr..
Fisher knows it as yet"
, Mr.. Fisher referred to was Walter
Fisher, counsel for the livestock men,
Who were urging the investigation.
Statements by Francis J. Heney
hat Armour E. Co. had been found to
ontrol the street railways of Kansas
1ity was the first indication that the
financial ramifications of the packers
ouched many street railway systems.
"The influence of the packers in
yansas City is more widesnread than
in any other city of the United States,
excepting Chicago" Mr.. Heney said.
Evidence of the packers influence
n the tin industry also has been dis
.overed, Mr.. Heney told Commissioner
Murdock. who asked about that phase
# the inquiry, after remarking that
he packers we're broadening their ac-
.ivities in the production Of canned
goods.
Control by the packers over finan-
;ial institutions has reached such an
extent that when packer asked for
I, loan from one of the big New York
banks, the bank wrote to Thomas E
Wilson, of Wilson & Co., asking II the
credit should be extended, Mr.. Heney
said.
Evidence that the packers had OBJ.
.ained confidential information in 1916
caused Francis J. Heney, counsel for
The meat packing investigation to pro-
test publicly to the Federal Trade
Commission against the practice of
leaving the office of the Commission
unlocked.
II have returned several times and
found an attorney for the packers
alone in my office, ,'Mr. Heney said.