Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-02
CONGRESS NOT INCLINED TO
PASS DRASTIC MEASURE
AIMED At PACKERS.
srocKMEN SUCCEED IN
CHANGING COMMITTEES VIEW
Kenyon Still Confident Of Procuring
Legislation But Committeeman De-
siars Bill Will Not Be Favorably
Reported-Radieal Changes Suggest
ed to Meet Present Conditions.
TBy E. G. Dougherty.l

Washington, Sept. 2-Altho Senator
Kenyon processes the utmost conf
dence in procuring a favorable report
on the Kenyon Anderson bill for the
control of the packing industry. other
supporters OF the measure freely con-
fess doubt that favorable report OF
the bill will be given by the committee
unless radical changes are made in its
!oFovtsions. It is admitted that the
packers had procured formidable ar
ray of witnesses to give their side OF
the case, and that UP to this time the
Kenyonites have lost considerable
ground.
THE situation may seem one-sioea
1t this stage" Senator Kenyon said
today. but the great army OF stock
men who have been encouraged TO
come to Washington and oppose the
bill have really overplayed their hand.
The stockmen and the packers do not
want regulations OF their business, out
the plain people who buy their pro-
ducts are for II, and the senate Will
surely pass some legislation to control
the industry"
Similar enthusiasm, however. was
not voiced By others who are inter
ested in the bin. A bitter enemy OF the
Big Five packers, who Is member
Of the committee and who has attended
the hearings during the past two
weeks, said today he Ii convinced thai
the bill cannot be passed without radl-
cal changes. The provision for the ap-
pointment Of federal receiver in case
. packer violates the terms Of his IL
cense will be taken out, he predicted
This u regarded as one Of the strong
features Of the Kenyon measure.
Another section OF the bill, which
takes from the big packers their trans
portation facilities, refrigerator and
stock carr, L. being opposed very hard
by witnesses. Serious objection Is be-
ing raised to the creation OF a food
commissioner also There Is not much
opposition to the stackyards proposal
for these already are being licensed
by the Department Of Agriculture and
operated under federal control There
also will DO some modification TO the
license terms az originally asked by
Senator Kenyon. which provides thai
the packers would be limited to the
meat business and the manufacture OF
by-products from the packing industry.
This will be extended to the general
canning business. so Il Is understood
, because Of representations made to the
committee by retail dealers.
Passage improbable.
While it was freely predicted here g
month ago that the Kenyon bill would
be speedily passed. there now Is G
grave doubt that the bill never In its
modified form will become a law before
late fall.
There are several elements thai
have entered into the hearings which
take some Of the Course off the pack
ers. The claim IS made that the whole
sale grocers are back Of the Kenyon
bill. The packers assert that because
they underssl the wholesalers, the
latter are trying to put them out OF
the grocery business. Not few sen
ators and representatives view the
matter largely as a fight between the
packers and the wholesale grocers
Then too the Independent packers ara
not fighting the Big Five. Nurnerou!
small packers have testified that they
oppose the proposed licensing system
and that they are not dissatisfied witt
the competition offered by the large
packers.
# 1t were not for the fact that th'
packers have such a grip on the foot
business It Is doubtful whether con
gress would pass any legislation thu
session, some senators think. 1t Il
pretty generally agreed, however, tina