The Washington herald., 1919-01-29
LINES
"ALL MUDDLED," |"
PACKER AYERS
Morris Deems Condition
Due to "Prewar Cam
paign Of Agitation"
SWIFT OPPOSES CURB
Enough Laws Now, If En-
forced, to Regulate Meat
Industry, He Says.

Hearings on bills to regulate the
packing industry ware continued yes
terday with Louis F. Swift. president
of Swift & Co, before the Senate
agriculture committee, and Edward
Morris, president of Morris & Co., and
representatives of Cudahy & Co.. be-
fore the House committee on inter-
state commerce.
Mr.. Swift said that he saw no nee
essity for additional Legislation affect
ing the packing industry.
TT is my opinion" he continued
that there is law enough on it al
ready. If it could be enforced. II the
laws we have made are not violated,
there Is no necessity for any more
laws at all"
The financial growth of Swift & Co.
was brought out by questions and
statements of Mr.. Heney. The COM
capital stock of $3.50, 1000, 900, with a
capital of $500, 900, and it now has a
capital stock of S150,O0OO. .000 with a
surplus of 100000. A few months
after formation of the company an
additional S240, 900 was paid in by the
stockholders as a loan. In January,
1886, the first dividend of per cent,
$4,000 was paid, and in October a
dividend of go per cent was paid.
The capital stock was increased to
$4,000 January 1. 1888, and during
the twenty-siX months ending August
!. 1890. dividends to the amount of
SIS 900 were paid, while from Aug
ust. 1893, to January, 1S99 dividends
aggregated S5.OO6. S37. In May. 1918, a
stock dividend of S25, ,0Oo, 900 was issued.
Calls Railroads "MuddIed."
Government operation of the rail-
roads came into the hearing of the
House Committee during cross-ex-
animation of Edward Morris.
Mr.. Morris had referred to the
''muddled condition" of the rail-
roads. which we now have on our
cumbrance which the people in the
end must pay"
do you attribute the muddIed
condition, as you say, of the rail-
roads to government operation, -
asked Representative Deremus.
II do not" answered Mr.. Morris,
but at about the time the rail-
roads were taken over by the gov
ernment they were in a terrible fix
and they still are in a mighty bad
mess. This, 7 think, is due largely
to the campaign of agitation and
Misrepresentation waged against the
roads for years"
No Improvement In Science.
Has there been any expedition of
movement on the railroads or re-
mOval of congestion since the gov
ernment took charge of the roads 90
asked Mr.. Doremus.
mo, there has not" replied Mr..
Morris.
Mr.. Morris explained that he did
not wish to appear in the position
of criticizing government operation
of the railroads, but rather that he
did not want the packing industry
to get into the condition in which
railroads now are. "muddled and
messed up"
This condition might result. he
said, from the campaign of abuse
agitation and Misrepresentation OF
which packers have been the vic
Tins.
J. A. McNaughton. traffic manager
for Cudahy and Company. en-
phasizd the superiority of the serv-
fee of the packer-owned refrigera-
tor car over that of the ordinary
railroad-owned car. The former has
an average daily mileage for 365
days in the year of ninety miles
while that OF the ordinary car is
thirty miles.
Thomas E. Creigh, counsel for
Cudahy and Company, and c. H
Brooks, president of the Wichits
Stockyards Company, also appeared
before the committee.
Thomas L. Wilson. president OF
Wilson and Company, and Edward
A. Cudahy, president of Cudahy and
Company. will appear before the
committee today.