The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-04-11

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matters under consideration, may be
briefly summarized as follows:
PACKING PLANTS.
The recent investigation by the
Federal Trade Commission has, for
the first time, authoritively exposed
the methods adopted by the five big
packers in controlling and monopol-
izing the live stock and meat indus
try Of the country. The Federal
Trade Commission, as the result Of
Its investigation, makes the follow
Ing recommendations in it's report:
Government Owned Stock Cars.
/. That the Government acquire,
through the Railroad Administration,
all rolling stock used for the trans
portation Of meat animals, and that
such ownership be declared a Gov
eminent monopoly.
Government Owned Stock Yards.
2. That the Government acquire,
through the Railroad Administration,
the principal and necessary stock
yards of the country, to be treated
rs freight depots and to be operated
under such conditions as will insure
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form scale Of charge for all services
performed, and the acquisition of es-
t~ablishment Of such additional yards
from time to time as the future de-
velOpment Of livestock production in
the United States may require. This
to include customary adjuncts Of
stock yards.
Government Owned Refrigerator Cars
3. That the Government acquire,
through the Railroad Administration,
all privately owned refrigerator cars
and all necessary equipment foy their
proper operation and that such
ownership be declared a Government
monopoly.
Government to Own and Control
Branch Houses, Gold Storage
Plants and Wholesale
Markets.
4. That the Federal Government
acquire such of the branch houses,
cold storage plants, and wholesale
markets as are necessary to provide
facilities for the competitive market
ing and storage of food products in
the principal centers of distribution
and consumption. The same to be
operated by the Government as pub
lie markets and storage places under
such conditions as will afford an out
let for all manufacturers and hand
lers Of food products on equal terms.
Experimenting the marketing and
storage facilities thus acquired, the
Federal Government establish, thru
the Railroad Administration, at the
terminals Of all principal points of
distribution and consumption, CEN
trail wholesale markets, and storage
plants, with facilities open to all up
on payment Of Just and fair charges.
An outstanding feature Of this re-
port is the following statement:
IF these five great concerns
owned no packing plants and
killed no cattle, and still retain
ed control Of the instruments Of
transportation, Of marketing
and storage, their position would
not be less strong than it is"
This statement has particular and,
we may say. practically determinative
bearing upon the proposition Of state
an individual state cannot control the
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Congress, as a result Of this re-
port, now has under consideration the
passage of laws regulating and con-
trolling the packing house industry.
We believe the Federal investigation
has disclosed facts upon which con-
structive and effective legislation
will be had In the near future. That
congress intends to enact some legis-
lation on this subject is plainly ap-
parent. It may be Government own
ership. or effective Government regu-
lation.
Therefore, at the present time. the
whole question Is uncertain, except
that ONE legislation will be passed
by Congress in relation to the pack
ing industry, and the form Of con-
troll or regulation Of all allied in
dustry.
There are four packing houses
operating In South Dakota at this
time. The two at Sioux Falls are
owned by eastern packers. There is
a small privately owned plant at
Rapid City. At WATERFOWL, there is
another small plant, said to be CO.
operative, the stock being owned
largely by farmers In different sec
tions OF the state. A moderate sized
plant 10 now in process Of construc-
ton at Huron. It has about $500
stockholders, mostly farmers.
A moderate sized plant, together
with the necessary capital to operate
same. would require from Two to
Three Million Dollars. and could take
care Of only q comparative small
part Of the livestock business in this
state.
In connection with this cost must
be considered the necessity Of hav-
Ing available q revolving fund OF
variable amount. In order to provide
for purchase OF livestock, storage,