El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-22
CHAMBER Of COMMERCE FAVORS
PASSAGE Of THE KENDRICK BILL
Members Ask Directors to Request Texas Representa-
tives at Washington and Senator A. B. FALL of New
Mexico to Support Bill Which Proposes to Regulate
Control of Packing Industry; Opinions Differ.

( A RESOLUTION calling upon the di
I "A rectors Of the chamber Of COM
I merce to request the Texas congress.
/ sionaI representation together with
senator A B. Fall. Of New Mexico. &c
support the Kendrick bill for the
regulation OF the packing industry
was passed at a meeting Of Ell Past
business men and members Of the
chamber of commerce held Monday
evening in the chamber of commerce.
building. Manager X VI. Roberts fol-
lowing the meeting announced that an
executive session Of the board Of d.
rectors of the chamber OF comm cree
would be held at 4:S0 o'clock this af-
ternoon at which time the matter
would again be discussed.
Both sides of the Kendrick bill was
freely discussed at the meeting. Rep
reseEtatives were present from the
wholesale grocers, the meat packers,
the retail grocers and various banking
and loaning companies representing
cattlemen-
From the course of the argu-
ment il was apparent from the be-
ginning that Ell PasO business men
were sharply divided on the ques-
ing industry. The wholesale
grocerS were overwhelmingly in
favor of the passage of the regu-
latinE legislation while represent
tntlVes of the packing industry
were just as enthusiastic in OPP
posing the measure.
The retail ErOcers while not so
OutspOken as the jObbers are un-
derstOOd also to favor legislation
TO control the meat packing in
dustry.
The main count lodged against the
meat packers by the Jobbers in sup
port Of the kendrick bill and similar
measures was that the packers were
attempting to corner the grocery bust
ness thereby putting the small jobber
out Of the field. Various instances
were cited by different speakers where
representatives OF the five big pack
ing companies had attempted to buy
up all grocery supplies in various sec
tons Of the country in an attempt TO
regulate and control the food indus
try of the nation
The jobbers asserted that
should the meat packers con-
Time their present career IN
checked IL would be but n short
time until the entire food sup
ply Of America would be held
within the grasp of the sfbiE five"
packing concerns Of the United
States.
J. C Peyton. owner of e. Paso's big
packing plant, vigorously opposed
pending legislation which he de-
clared would drive the independent
meat packer out Of business If inter-
preted IN a radical manner" Mr. Pey-
ton maintained that the two bills now
pending in the national legislative
body were extremely dangerous pieces
Of legislation and would materially in
jure the packing industry Of the en-
tire nation, including the small and
Independent packers as well as the gil
gantic concerns commonly known as
the Big Five"
hearers. that he was in no way con-
nected with the larger packing indus
tries of the country. asserting that
the "Peyton Packing company OF FL
Paso has always been and will al
ways remain an independent meat
packing concern"
Fears Monopoly.
Samuel Prudential expressed sur
prise that Mr. Peyton should think
that the proposed legislation would
injure the small or independent pack
ers. declaring that both senators
Kendrick and Kenyon have framed
their legislation with the protection
Of the small and Independent packer
in view"
Continuing. Mr.. Prudential assert
81 luaL the man grievance the whole
sale grocers had against the packers
was that the packers had Invaded all
fields Of the food supplying industry
and are handling all lines Of gro
,eries except sugar in which there
Is no profit"
He declared that the packers
would soon he able to monOpOliEe
the food Industry by having cor
nered the worlds food supply. He
touched on federal food control,
and declared that ~the wholesale
grocers made more money during
government control than at any
other time"
I. J. GiIchrist, local banker. praised
he meat packing industry for its sue
sessful operation. and attacked the
government control, declaring the
after had proved a failure. Mr.. Gil
,hrist said that his cattle loan COM
Dany in which the packers were fin
lncially interested had fully S12.-
100000 loaned TO cattlemen of west
Texas, New Mexico and Arizona He
asserted that not one loan had been
allied on cattiemen during the drouth I
md that the cattle raisers we're ap-
Darently satisfied with the present [
system OF the big packing concerns. /
c. :. Nasits accused the meat
packers of attempting TO gain
complete control of the nations
food supply. He told of an at
tempt the packers recently made