The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-02-06


ing game, the Armour bluff collapsed,
and the crafty side Of the profteer's
nature was called into play. He dared
not deny, for example, that the Big
Five had for many years had an
agreement for sharing their joint Leg
islative expenses on basis of their
percentage Of beef handled in the
days Of the "Veeder pool"
Heney read him letter sent by
Henry Veeder to another of the
packers officials on August %, 1916,
relating to these percentages. Veeder
stated that on July 80, 1913, ''L. F. S.
T. e. w. and A. M."-meaning Louis
r. Swift, Arthur Meeker of Armour
& Co., and Thomas E. Wilson, then
representing Morris & Co.-agreed
that the five big concerns should di-
vide their. cost Of legislative work and
litigation on this basis:
Swift 35.751 per. cent, Armour
1926 per cent, Morris 1883 per cent
Cudahy 10 per cent, Sulzberger 10 per
cent. Armour admitted that these
were the old figures Of the division Of
the beef buying among the Big Five.
Then Heney made the multi-mil-
lionaire admit that the packers force
up the price on oleomargarine "all
that the traffic viii bear," Immediate
" behind the price of butter. Next
it was admitted that Swift and Ar
mour are the largest handlers of but
ter in America, and that they can,
"to a certain extent" push up or
down the price Of butter. In short,
Armour confessed that the packers
collect whatever price they please,
from the people Of this country, for
their dairy butter and oleomargarine.
Armour tried to deny that the small
packers, who make better profits On
small business, pay better wages to
their workers. He admitted that the
small packers pay at least as high
wages, and in some classes of work
they pay higher, than do the Big Five.
And so, through a long and damag-
ing day, Armour writhed under the
probe of Heney's inquiries. Levy
Mayer, lawyer to billions, sat by,
chenching his fits and trying to look
J unconcerned. AS the room grew dark
Armour gulped glass of water and
stopped a question to ask: "Am / to
get through tonight or must I cancel
my reservation on the train :"
Heney's Irish face beamed with
suppressed pleasure as he shook his
head slowly.
"Oh no, Mr.. Armour, you are not
to get through tonight; not tonight,
Mr.. Armour.
Servants Of Rockefeller.
( w. J. Spillman, for II years head
of the farm management bureau Of
the department Of agriculture, has
told the organized farmers, meeting
in Washington, why farm cost studies
were suppressed by Secretary Hous-
ton. AS the Nonpartisan league had
previous charged, Mr.. Spillman de-
clares they were pigeon-holed because
they proved the need of reform in
farm conditions. Houston is reported
as saying privately that stthe farmer
is not entitled to any information on
the subject" Mr.. Spillman also re-
veals that Houston was employed by
the Rockefeller General Education
board before he became secretary Of
agriculture, and that Rockefeller has
been pouring money into the depart
ment, not to help the farmers but to
check the growth of liberal and reform
ideas. gs
Houston has evidently played in
with this purpose. Professor Z. N.
Carver, put in as head Of the rural
organization service, resigned when
he found Rockefeller's purpose was
propaganda. MI. Spillman also points
out how Houston has surrounded him-
self with q gang Of politicians who
sterrorize the real workers and how
the department has become joke
among agricultural leaders. The
resignation of Carl Vrooman, assist
ant secretary, reported on January 29,
appears 10 confirm what has been said
about the depar rtment,, for VroomanI
has been an honest representative ofl
the farmers.
Enemy of Liberals Exposed.
Secretary Baker has just killed an
other attempt of special priyilege ~ |
pexse cute American liberals. Qnel
Archibald Stevenson, testtiif wing before
'tle Senate cclnmit tee on German
pE0pae aeanda WIS reported by the
pfess ~ be hesd c tie military in-
q ace burl cny sl