Arizona republican., 1919-01-01
The New Year

The New Year
 We are not sorry to see the last of the old year which, like it's three predecessors. filled with misery suffering the agony of certainty and the more widespread agony of suspense in every civilized country has left legacy of grief to the years but that will be softened by time and will at last be hallowed
 The old year witnessed the tearing down of the old world The New Year will look upon the begin ming of it's reconstruction, a firmer basis and broader lines. It will contain of brotherhood. It been purified by fire and altogether bet ter world to live in.
 The Old Year left to the New World great prob ems the solution of which will us stronger and better the late struggle thousands of miles of battlefronts and all the has made the forces of civilization stronger and better
 A Constructive Plan To Control The Packing Monopoly
 For the past four years the American National Live Stock Association has been working consistently, steadily and determinedy secure a free and uncon- troad market for livestock and to evolve some req sonabe constructive plan by which the ability of the five large packers to control and manipulate prices the injury both of the producer and consumer might be ended.
 The livestock men proposed nothing revolutionary destuctiye they admitted the remarkable featuring the and the question with feeling ill win the packers but with a grim determination rid the industry of certain practices which had grown up that steadily strangling a competitive market and were creating combination of steadily increasing and dangerous power the food supply of the nation Tn the hands of few
 Tho first step to get the facts to the situa- tion that any suggested remedies might be based on definite knowledge not on rumors generaltes, and largely by the organized backing of the stocmen thoroughgong inquiry into the packing house busi- ness by the Federal Trade Commission was under the appropriation this investigation of quarter of a million dollars was secured from con- gress.
 The report of the commission made public last summer, and demonstrated very clearly the monopo- lsc control which had existed by the five large pack of the live stock market their steadily increasing power and control only of meats their by-pro- duets and their control ownership of the stock yards of the principal marketing centers giv- ing them opportunities to throttle competition sulting in enormous and steadily growing profits
 The report also disclosed the tremendous power possessed by the five large packers retail prices by their control of the distribution of and meat products through the ownership of tens of thousands Of refrigerator
 While some of the methods employed in these federal investigations seemed 10 many citizens un- necessarily sensational and spectacular, the fact mains that certain conditions unearthed regard ing the control of country's meat supply which needed prompt remedy safeguard the public vel fare
 The packers take the position that they have been unfairly treated by the Federal Trade Commis- sion in their investigation. and for nearly year through a remarkable advertising campaign conducted by experts in influencing public opinion have been presenting their side of the question the public.
 The stoc men thoroughly realize that there should be cooperation between the producers and the pack CTS but they insist cooperation based a genuine ogeu market, justice to both producer and consumer which shall have object the furnishing of food to the consumer at the lowest consistent with fair to those producers manufacturers and distributors who do perform essential services by efficient methods economically sound
 The remedies proposed by the Federal Trade Commission in their report to the president are as follows:
 No. That the government acquire through the railway administration all stock and refrigerator cars operating them in the public welfare as a gov. ernrnent monopoly
 No. 2.-That the government acquire through the railway administration the principal stockyards of the country, to be treated terminal freight depots operated conditions will insure the most open and competitive market.
 No. 3.-That the federal government acquire such of the branch houses cold storage plants in the prn- cipal centers of distribution and consumption as to provide ample facilities competitive marketing storage.
 On December 12th a bill introduced in con- gross by Representative Sims, chairman of the house committee on interstate and foreign commerce. which put into effect the recommendation of the Fed crar Trade Confusion. and the operation of packing houses under definite and just federal license,