The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-22
Packers Could Commit All the
Abuses Charged and More.
So Says Senator kendrick at
Livestock Mems Meet.
CONTROL ALL OF MARKETS
Both Producing and Marketing
i'm Hands of Packers.
Should Join Hands With People
in Making Laws.

Denver. Colo. Jan. 22.-The five
big meat packing firms of the United
States were declared by Senator Ken
drick of Wyoming here today to have
such a control over both the produc-
ing and the distributing markets that
they have the power ito commit all
the abuses with which they are
changed, and more" regardless of
whether there is an actual combina-
tion in that their representatives meet
regularly to agree on prices.
The senator, addressing the Ameri-
can National Livestock association
convention, described a bill which he
introduced to regulate the meat indus
try and said it ought to be possible to
bring about a free market that would
make it possible for both producer and
packer and consumer to work profit
ably together. "It is perfectly OBJ
vious." he told the convention, that
the packers absolutely dominate the
meat industry of the country"
Must Work in Unison.
with all of the interests involved.
and under the circumstances which
surround the business. 1t would be diff
ficuIt for them to do otherwise than
to work in unison and it is scarcely
necessary, it seems to me. to attempt
to prove that the packers agents meet
daily, or weekly, or monthly to deter
point out that their common interest
would naturally tend to make them act
in a common way. If. as they claim.
all abuses have been discontinued.
they ought to join hands with us now
in securing legislation that will pre-
vent the resumption OF the unfair
pra ctices.
I'm no sense is the demand for leg
islation made in the sole interest of
the producer. There is no class OF the
/ ,N,4f.
ested in proper governmental control
Of the meat packing industry. because
it has grown to such proportions that
it may now be termed the nations
food industry. 1t is of tremendous im-
portance. therefore, that congress
should establish some sort of control.
The bill which / have introduced is
! intended to secure this and with the
/ least possible disturbances to any in
: terest II aims merely to apply to
t-this industry theSprincipies which have
| been applied to every other business
! do not ask that the government take
over the packing houses nor even that
! 1t should operate the stockyards.
What the Bill Asks.
I'VE ask only that the packers
| shall no longer be permitted to own
and control both the producing and
1 the distributing markets. To this end
/ compel the packers to dispose OF their
| ownership of the stockyards just as
a few years ago congress compelled
4, the railroad to surrender the owner
ship of coal mines. 1t further pyo-
vides that refrigerator cars shall he
! subject to the interstate commerce act
, in the same manner that all other ca RS
and transportation facilities are SUBJ
ject to it.
Finally. the bill provides for IL
commission men and for stockyard
/ owners, so that the government may
keep its fingers on the pulse OF the In
! dustry.
without regard to who likes IL or
who does not. this much / can say
that If legislation is not secured now,
the effort to establish certainty OF
competition in the markets of ths
country will never cease until the
problem is properly solved, and IL ths
moderate reforms now requested ars
not granted, drastic reforms Will bs
imposed later"