The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-01-27
PACKERS FEARED
TWO CONGRESSMEN
AND ONE WAS REPRESENTATIVE
MORGAN OF OKLAHOMA
HENEY PROBES DEEPER.

Washington, Jan. &c. - Confidential
reports on the attitude of the congress-
men toward legislation for an inquiry
into the livestock and packing industry
taken from the secret files of the big
packing concerns We're read today into
the records of the federal trade com
MISSIONS meat packing investigation.
1t appeared from the evidence today
that the packers received advance in
formation of a postponement of action
on the Borland probe resolution by
the house judiciary subcommittee.
Close watch was kept on the views Of
congressman on the Borland resolution
by agents of the packers in Washing
ton, their reports usually being eau
tiously devised so that indentities were
indicated only by initial or state. Espe-
cial attention was given to Representa-
tive Gard of Ohio and Representative
Morgan of Oklahoma from whom op-
position was feared.
Opposition to the Borland resolution,
including a flood Of kilograms inspired
by the packers, was financed accord
| ing to the evidence, by fund Of $l5,-
600 raised on a percentage basis among
| the Armour, Swift, Morris, Cudahy, and
| Sulzberger or Wilson firms
This percentage received the close
attention Of the committee, who were
told by Mr.. Henry that it was con
tinuation Of the pool known as the
National Packing Company" ordered
dissolved by the federal courts in 1912.
Says Ii Continues.
1--WE will show that this understand
ing between the packers has continued
and is now in effect" he said, and that
they apportion the lifestock purchases
throughout the United States on the
| basis of their property holdings and
that all joint expenses meet the same
| basis"
The buying agreement tending to
eliminate competition and to permit the
packers to control the nations food
supply have been charged by the live,
stock growers in their demands for gov
ernmental inquiry into the business
f. c. LassatsE of Falfurrias, Texas, a
| leading figure in the American National
Livestock Association, took the stand
to tell Of requests by the jackers to
promote better feeling between the
producing and packing ends of the
business" Mr.. Lassater said that little
was accomplished, as the packers were
insistent first Of all that the proposed
congressional inquiry should be side
tracked entirely or confined to eco
nomic questions, with all criminal as
poets eliminated.
Ready to Quit Business.
'I told them that if conditions con
tinued unchanged my property could so
to any man who would pay the remain
ing indebtedness" he asserted "for
did not want to leave my children a
heritage from which they could obtain
only what they were allowed by five
outsiders controlling the market"
Colin IL. Livingstone representative
at Washington for Armour & Co., in
handling questions affecting their for
eign trade, and a business associate OF
the late Senator Elkins of West Vir
glnia, Charles Morris and the Guggen
helms, was the only other witness dur
ing the day. His testimony ended
abruptly when Mr.. Heney produced evi
dence of a letter he had written Ar
mour & Co. and which was not included
in the correspondence Livingstone fur
nished the commission. One of tn,
commissions agents accompanied Mr.
Livingstone to his office to search fo
the missing letter.