The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-23
Independent Operators Are Tim
id About Going on Record
Against Big Five
SOME MEMBERS OPPOSE
RESTRICTIVE LAWS
There is Indirect Evidence That
the Small Packers Are at the
Mercy of the Big Fellows

Washington, Aug. 20.-Independent
packers appearing before the senate
agriculture committee today chal-
lenged most of the statements of the
federal trade commission on which
proposals for stringent regulation OF
the five dominant concerns in the IN
dustry are based.
The Independent representatives in
sisted that they were meeting and
furnishing lively competition at both
ends of the industry-in the purchase
of live stock for their plants, and in
the sale Of meats to the, retailers, and
expressed the conclusion that the law
sofe supply and demand would serve
sufficiently to protect the consumer.
Their view was supplemented by that
Of retail butcher, and given minor
support in the appearance Of a; vege-
table cannery representative and the
head ola milk condensing business, TO
object to licensing provisions Of the
Kenyon bills which they felt would
apply to their business if not changed.
Committee members, particularly
Senator Kenyon. Republican, Iowa,
author Of the regulation measure, and
Senator Capper, Reublican, Kansas,
put to the packer representatives
pointed questions bearing on the es-
Establishment Of the American Institute
sof Packing, its Washington Office and
ACTIVITIES as well as entering into the
subject Of profits.
esIan,t the institute Office here to
fight any kind of regulation" ?" Sena-
tor Kenyon asked T. Davis Hill.
who headed a delegation of findepend-
sgHf packers of Baltimore. -
I'm not an officer, of it, Mr. Hill
said, .'but suppose they want to be
on the ground to be familiar with all
legislative proposals affecting the in
dustry.'' y .
understand, I'm not saying they
are wrong" Senator Kenyon contin-
aed,. cor that there is anything wrong
In their methods, but do you know
about their agents and publicity men
here, or who is going to pay for
them"
.sI suppose. there will be dues as
sessed for that" Mr. Hill said. That's
the usual way"
1--WE are now passing through. a
period Of imitation" AIR. Hill said in
making his objections to proposed
regulation. prices are abnormal,
business is abnormal. This is no time
to regulate. Wait until we ge;
through it, and thave cur feet back on
~ erro,,n3 ord then coa vhof draC-
. tic measures are necessary.
The witness said he bought hogs in
competition with ne big packers in
Kansas City and Chicago and was
sure the big concerns could not con-
troll prices. Solomon Greenwald. who
said his house in Baltimore dealt O
in beef, asserted the same thing
true of other live stock.
Senator Ransdell, Democrat, Louis
lana, took up the questioning from
another angle.
we've been told the big packers
are going into everything the senator
squeried. controlling the sale of some
700 other products. Do you think i
would be a good thing to have them
put ali these other smaller men out
of business and establish a monopoly
in foodstuffs?''
'.No, but I'd say to license the 9TH
ers, and let the live stock industry
alone" Greenwald responded.
These are just the sort Of objec-
tons that were raised to meat inspec-
ton when that law was proposed, y
observed Senator Kenyon.
II. G. Bertram, manager Of an 5n-
dependent concern with packing
plants at Philadelphia, Wilmington
and Baltimore, was pressed for on
answer on the same general subject ,y
Senator Ransdell.
There is very delicate question
there" he said. 1.-The packers with
their more efficient organization might
be able to distribute foodstuffs to the
consumer cheaper than other men !n
the specialized lines, III admit, and
so put them out OF business. It's a
question Of economic law"
All Of the independents appearing
said their business had reached the
apex Of prosperity under food admin
istration regulation during the war
and this aroused the interest Of Chair
man Gronna, who asked:
IF that was true when you were
being controlled why do. you object
to control now?''
Jacob Shafer Of Baltimore respond
ed that they endured the food admin
istratiton control without question be-
cause eft was only temporary"
Mr. Hill said "a man wants to feel
he is doing business in a free country
ia have no pride in my concern II
it were run under anybody's thumh." :"
Emmanuel w Washerman Eo:-
folk, Va. retail butcher, expressed
his opinion that the larger packing
houses were a benefit to the industry
and the consumers.
IT. p. Stausbaugh. speaking IN be-
half of Maryland vegetable cannes
asked that care he exercised TO pre-
.,.~4 4,,a l;oopcinc renlrirpDpntS Aif11-