Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-06-06
|LAWM maker PLEADS
FOR FAIR MARKETS
Asks That Profiteers Be Kicked
Out at once-Remedy =
Outlined.

G. II. Dillon, congressman from
South Dakota, pleaded for the eman-
cipation of the farmer and worker and
denounced the iniquitous system un.
der which they are now obliged to
operate, in a recent speech in con.
gress.
The cattleman ships HIS cattle to
the stockyards," MI. Dillon said.
Wherever the %stockyards are located
the packing houses have their plants
The buyers of livestock each morn.
ing fix The price to be paid for live
stock. There is but one price, one
lone bidder, and the owner must &C.
cept the price offered. Otherwise. he
must ship back home.
"1f he ships to another market, he
finds the same packers, ready for
the big bargains that are to fall into
the combination net. They divide
among themselves, on the basis of
percentage, the livestock coming into
the market. They likewise divide
the territory and each packer has the
exclusive right to sell in his territory.
They fix the price for the farmers
stock and likewise the price that the
consumer of finished products must
pay. Thus they control both ends
Of the market.
Is Absolute Control.
"By their combination they control
the meat supply from the stockyards
! to the consumer. No Independent OPP
profO1, nor hroo1y 1ro,oL H. 1-a..
lions of these profiteers, who are en-
trenched behind the market places,
the packing plants, the cold storage
plants and the ownership of the re-
frigerator cars. They control every
artery of trade in these products,
they control, in the same manner all
the by-products of the industry such
as lard, hides, fertilizer and so forth.
"The packers, the produce specu-
lators, and the jobbers are in abso-
lutte control of all the instrumental
tiles of the market.
Destroy Rather Than Reduce.
"The butter and egg board of Chi
cago fixes the daily price for eggs,
butter and poultry. They gamble in
future delivery just the same as is
done in the grain products. When
these articles are plentiful they fix
the price the producer is to receive,
would rather destroy produce than
lower the price to the onsumer Our
system of distribution has broken
down. From all parts of the coun.
try ome a demand for some new
method of distribution to take the
place of the inefficient, wornout meth
cd 10Y in use.
"The middlemen (speculators)
have taken possession of the market
places and converted them into YER
liable gambling dens. Nothing ex-
cept the lash Of public opinion can
drive them from these public places.
Tho producer must carry his prod
uct closer to the consumer. and the
consumer must get in closer touch
with the producer. Cooperative buy
ing agencies and cooperative selling
agencies is one solution of this diff
ficult problem.
No Defenders of Present System.
ut is doubtful if any ore can de-
fend the present market system. 1t
is doubtful if a system OF markets
can be successfully regulated by law.
Cooperative methods, if they can be
properly financed, ought 10 remedy
the evils existing in our market sys-
tenn. If success can not be acquired
along cooperative lines the people
will ultimately demand government
control and ownership Of cold-storage
plants, terminal markets, and public
warehouses, operated either by state
or national government. When so op-
Grated the gambling dens, the COM
bination Of profteers, and specula-
tors in food products will be elimi-
mated in favor of the producer and
consumer. Give the farmer an hon,
est market and he will nroduca the