The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-21
Packers Have Control.

Packers Have Control.
| lBy Raymond C.Apper, Unlted Press
STAFF Correspondent
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 21.-Charees
that the packers through private own
ership Of refrigerator cars ara able to
control groceries, canned goods and
other commodities, rs well as meat
shipments in the southwest, were laid
before the senate agriculture commit
itee today by Lewis H. Haney. Haney,
no Is director of research and pub
ilicity Of the Southern Wholesale Gro
GERS association and former head OF
the department of economics OF the
university of Texas appeared In be-
half of the Kenyon packer regulation
bill
He presented 20 the committee
Itwenty-nine page report to back his
statements that private refigeratoI
cars give the packers undue advant-
age in shipping and two petitions. one
signed by 200 residents Of Chattan-
'ooga, Tenn, resembling previously ex-
pressed opposition to the Kenyon bill
and a second signed by 1,0Ot resi-
dents Of San Antonio in support OF
the measure.
In explaining his statements to the
committee, Haney said the packers
are able to make. deliveries in four
days from Kansas City to Gore, Okla
homa-a distance of 81 miles. Us
ing ordinary freight facilities. re-
cures a wholesaler in Fort Smith,
Ark. four days to make deliveries to
Gore, though the latter town is only
forty-eight miles from Fort Smith.
Haney's report included scores OF in
stances Of this sort.
1.-The packers are rapidly progress
ing toward the formation Of food
trust" said Dr.. Haney. The whole
sale grocers are the frst to feel this.
The packers have been gaining domi
nance in the distribution of food pro-
ducts, not by fair and free competi.
tion but through their special adj
vantages in transportation; through
control over the supply OF canned
goods and other food products and
through their financial power
They are using their private re-
fligerator cars for which they get
specially expedited service to trans.
port non-perishable groceries.
Through this exclusive service they
are fastening a monopoly on the coun-
try. They are exercising the power
OF a common carrier without being
subject to any Of the duties Of COM
mon carrier"
During the war and again this
spring, DR.. Haney said, the packers
endeavored to get hold of the supplies
OF rice, beans. canned fruits and can
ned vegetables To this end they bid
w the prices.
THE packers combination repre-
sents new menace in the way OF
trust" DR.. Haney declared, Gin that
way they are combining the control OF
different articles which are substi-
tutes for one another.
Even in the days Of the Standard
Oil trust, this organization did not
seek control over coal" he continued
But we find the packers dominating
the control, not only Of meat, but OF
cheese, eggs, canned salmon; not only
of lard but of lard substitutes, Of the
oleo, etc.
THAT is why we need law to deal
especially with the packers. Econom-
ically when one product can be sub
stituted for another. 1t is the same
product.
THE Kenyon bill Is designed to
break up monopoly. The reason FOR
imposing the license feature IS that
there is monopoly.
Answering statements that If the IL
cense feature is applied to one bust
ness, it may be applied to all, Dr.
Haney said there would be no neces-
sity for extending the license to any
thing else,
Licenses are not necessary unless
a monopoly is developed" he said.
This feature sets no precedent ex-
cept for monopolies."
The petition of the Chattanooga citi-
zons said "our former action was TAX
en- at the request of the packers,
through a misunderstanding OF condi-
tons, as they exist"