Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-12
Big Five Packers
Continued from Pass ,ons)

leather industry. in oleomargarlne
A and lard substitutes. in cotton-seed
Oil. in fertilizer. in soap. in glue
etc.
Their vast distributing system,
with the advantages arising from the
control OF private ears. cold storage
and a network of branch houses
has enabled them to extend theif
activities on a large scale into poul
try, eggs. cheese. butter. rice. break
fast foods. canned vegetables. soda
fountain supplies. and other lines.
From rendering edible fats from
what would otherwise be wasted in
their own factories. they have
reached out to secure for rendering
the waste fat and bones Of local
butchers in large sections Of the
country, and in some instances are
interested in companies contracting
for the disposal of garbage OF large
cities.
The Armour Power
individuals Of the Armour family
are owners of grain and elevator
companies, and J. Ogden Armour
and the president of one of the
Armour subsidiaries are important
stockholders in a company produc-
ing from mineral deposits In Utah a
substitute for potash as an element
of commercial fertilizers.
u. Ogden Armour is also a promi-
nent factor in the American Inter-
national Corporation, with its ship
ping and ship building interests. its
import -and export companies in
various lines. its interest in a COM
pany organized to develop cattle
raising, meat packing, quebrache
extract and allied businesses in
Paraguay. its cotnrol Of large tea
importing company and a sugar.
machinery corporation, and it's
minority stock in the United Fruit
Company. Some of Swift & Co.'S
subsidiaries are growing tropical
fruits in Hawaii: a subsidiary of
Wilson & Co., Inc, has reached into
the salmon fisheries of Alaska, and .
Norris concern cans shrimp taken Il
the waters of the Gull of Mexico.
Cattle brought from Central America
are slaughtered by or for some of the
big packers at Mobile and Jackson
vile. In England, France. Italy,
Holland and other European coun.
tries large meat distributing COM
panies have been organized by the
packers to sell the meats from their
plants in the United States, Argen-
tina. Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and
Australia"
Control Public Utilities
The Big Five, the report shows,
have control Of or interest in public
utility corporations in Sioux City,
Kansas City. South st. Paul. Port
land. Ore, South San Francisco,
South ST. Joseph, Mo-. Hill City,
Minn. Fort Worth. Tex. and Chicago.
AS TO financial power, the report in
part says: 1.-The packer has drawn to
marked degree upon the banks of
the country for liquid funds. He
could not operate on the scale he does
without the very large loans fur
nished by the banks. To assure
himself loans ample to his purpose,
the big packer has secured affiliation
through stock ownership, representa-.
tion on directorates. and in other
ways. with numerous banks and
trust companies. Mr.. Armour, Mr..
Swift, Mr.. Morris and Mr.. Wilson are
directors in banks affiliated closely
with those who are strong at the
sources of credit In the United States.
Being thus allied with the powerful
interests at the sources Of credit, the
packers power is great. not only for
financing their own national and in
ternational operations. but for affect
ing. for good or for i'll. the credit OF
cattle producers and Of competitors
or customers in any line"
Big Five in Leather Industry
The packer invasion of the leather
industry is shown in the report to
have reached the following point at
the close of 1917: Armour, Swift,
Morris and Wilson-Cudahy not be-
ing engaged In tanning until the close
of 1s17-produced A per cent Of the
country's total output of sheep and
lamb show stock; II per cent OF
sheep and lamb glove and other
stock; IL per cent of sheep stock
tanned from calf, kip and all skins
other than sheep and lamb and goat
and kid. and % per cent of other
leather tanned from such skins lex
cept glove stock) ;>12h per cent of
shoe stock from cattle sides; 9 Der
cent Of harness leather; As per cent
/ of strap leather; 81 per cent of belt
ing; % per cent of sole leather; and
10 per cent finished splits.
The proportion Of stocks Of hides
held in the United States by the Big
Five packers as against all other in
terstate slaughterers, the report
shows. ranged from 90.7 per cent of
a total Of ss.9S9.s51 pounds on Jan
| uary 81, 1916 to 8S.6 per cent of 49,
! 921, S5S pounds on July 81. 1917, a no
time dropping below ST. per cent.
Big Five in Fertilizer Industry
Armour & Company, Swift & Com.
pany and Norris q Company. the re-.
port shows, produced In the fiscai
year OF 1917, approximately one. NTH
OK the entire production in the United
States OF mixed fertilizers, and one.
tenth OF acid PHOSPHATE. Armour A.
Co., had 30 fertilizer plants in various
parts Of the country; Swift & Co. had
II plants for the manufactures ~
mixed fertilizers and various Swift
Strengthening houses are equipped
with fertilizer plants.
Packers in cottonsssd Oil Industry
The Big Five packers in the season
OF 1s1S-1s17 produced nearly one
third Of the nations entire refined
cotton oil output Of 201, $500 gai-
! Ions, or 3l.6 per cent. Three other