The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1920-01-16
EXCLUSION Of
TRUST A FAKE
Packers Can Still Dominate
Grocery Trade and
Farm Produce.

The recent government decision
heralded with flaring headlines by the
big business kept press alleging that
the hackers trust was henccfortll pro-
hihited from entering into the grocery
trade, was n fake which in nowise
keeps the trust out of the grocery
business, but ON the contrary, is a
sweeping defeat for the livestock pro-
ducers. farmers and consumers of
America, according to the latest an,
nouncemcnt of the Farmers National
council Washington u. o.
The Farmers the Goats.
Says the statement of the Farmer.
councils
Under this decree. rendered With
such Il flourish OF headlines, the pack
ers can organize holding companies
and keep their grip on food supplies.
They can, through dummy stockhold-
ers own wholesale grocery companies.
The farmers and the conlismers alike
will continue to be at the mercy of the
billion dollar combination known as
the big Five Packers We are not
at all surprised that the press reports
the Big Five received the news of n
settlement of the antitrust ease
against them With what appeared to
be .'enthusiasn." The sudden change
lfoiE fear of Jail sentences to receiv-
ing from the depaxtnlcnt of justice
praise, 'Well done. good and faithful
servant must have brought Christ
mas cheer TO the Big Five. though it
leaves farlneYS and consumers ont in
the winter SHOWS as in The past
Can Hammer Down Prices.
This decree of the department of
Justice will allow the trust to 90 ON
hanmering down the price of livestock
and practicing other iniauties, accord
ing to the statement:
"I'he halnmelng down of prices for
livestock and hogs during the past few
months seems sufficient evidence of IL
collision between the packers. In
spite OF the decree the packers can
go on doing business at the old stand
and in the old way The decree en-
tlrely omits all reference to business
In poultry, eggs, butter and cheese.
These products are not handled se..-
tenslvely hy the Wholesale grocers.
The farmers who produce them, how
ever. know what it means 10 leave the
Big Packers free to extend their con-
troll over the handling of these farm
products. The decree issued hy the
government, after agreement With the
packers, in no way breaks up or inter
feres with the packers control of the
credit which livestock producers must
have and which The packers have used
in the past to intimidate and coerce
these producers
Want kenyon-Anderson Bill.
The only relief in sight from this
condition, according to the Farmers
National council. is the enactment inlo
law at the earliest possible date of the
Kenyon-Anderson bill. Says the coun-
ell concerning this measure:
'"Thc llenyon-Anderson bill provides
the ,rl:ichinery for licensing packers
st0clsynrds, and livestock commission
mc,. so that the government could
lseap track through such effective
i..sthods of Their conduct and compel
compliance with the law. as cannot he
done by any court under the decree
of the department of justice.
srhe packers will now continue
their campaign, begun Immediately up
on the announcement of the depart
ment of justice, to make the public
believe that no legislation is neces
sary. More than ever before the firm
ers and consumers must work toge the
continuously and insistently for TIN
enactment of the Kenyon-Anderso,
bill"