The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-04-11

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-
Using the live stock and meat indus
try Of the country. The Federal
Trade Commission, as the result OF
It's investigation, makes the follow
Ing recommendations in its 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
as freight depots and to be Operated
under such conditions as will insure
open, competitive markets, with uni
form scale OF charge for all services
performed, and the acquisition of es-
Enlistment 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 for their
proper operation and that such
ownership be declared a Government
monopoly.
Government to Own and Control
Branch Houses, Cold 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
lngs1nd storage Of food products in
the principal centers Of distribution
and consumption. The same to be
WI 0k00 Ny LxO 0VVCI Ull0AL 90 pun
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.
Supplementing 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:
III these hve great
owned NO packing plants and
killed no cattle, and still re.tain-
Cd control Of the instruments Of
transportation, Of marketing
and storage, their position would
not be lees strong than II H."
This statement has particular and,
" may ray, practically determinative
bearing upon the proposition Of state
oWned packing plants, inasmuch -
N individual Stato cannot control the
essential feature Of transportation.
Congress, . . Q result Of this re-
cert, now has under consideration the
passage Of laws regulating and con-
trolling the packing house industry. |
We believe the Federal Investigation
has disclosed fGcts Upon which con-
structive and effective legislation
will be had Ia the near future. That
congress intends 70 enact some legts-
latton On this subject Il plainly APP
parent. lt may b. Government own
ership, or effective Government regu-
lation.
Therefore, at the present time. the
whole question n uncertain, except
that some legislation will Do passed
by Congress in relation to the pack
ing industry. and the form OF con-
troll or regulation OF all allied In
eustry.
There are four packing houses
operating In South Dakota 1T this
dime. The two q Sioux Falls are
owned By eastern Dackers. There II
. small privately owned plant atl
Rapid City. At Watertown. there II
another small plant, said to be Co
the stock being owned
largely ~ farmers II different SEC
Of the state. = moderate sized
plant II now IN process Of construc-
ton at Hnron. Il has about $500
st~ockholders. mostly farmers.
\ moderate sised plant, together
With the necessary capital to operate
same, would require from Two to
Three Milliun Dollars, and could take
care 0f only . comparative small
part of the livestock business a this
state.
II connection with this cost must
- ooa1l1oro1 The neceGeity of hav-
nc Avoila1eo : ,rovOlvtng fanA q
yaTiAAle a11punt. a ef6er u Dros11e
- purchase ~ livestock. stoeago.
onlays n eol1ooe1oo, ote.
1900 - onooom ~ - - nnok-
- - DgMaD1eo1 = N
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