The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-12
MANKATO FREE PRESS
H. NJ. Green Defends
Clague Stockyard Bill

obey the law. and a saving to the
shippers from all sources is shown
to be not less than $250,000, exclu-
sive of nearly 100000 that is now
held by order of the courts in South
st. Paul banks paid in as excess
charges for hay, corn and commits
sions awaiting the final outcome of
cases now pending, some part of
which will no doubt go to the live
stock shippers.
"On August Is last congress pas
sed what is known as the federal
packer control act in which is pro
vided the control of terminal stock
yards, placing general supervision
with the secretary of agriculture. 1t
was generally supposed that under
this act the Secretary might CO.
operate with the states, and If he so
desired. allow state like Mime.
sofa now operating under its own
laws to continue to do so but under
his direction. But under a recent
ruling Of the attorney general this
cannot be done, and it was for the
purpose of clearing up this question
and leaving the weighing of live
stock and bonding of commission
men within the jurisdiction of the
introduced and the recent hearing
before the committee in Congress
had. At that hearing it was clearly
shown that stockyard control in
Minnesota while three years in ad-
vance of any other state and of the
federal government has been a VIC
tory for the live stock raiser of the
northwest, and although the senti-
ment there showed strong for Fed,
eral control, Minnesota was given
praise for her work The hearing
spread over a period of several
days as everything there offered in
favor of the bill was met with Wig
orous opposition. The Minnesota
delegation were prepared to and did
show the advantage in state weigh
ers of live stock and the universal
opposition to stock yard company
weighers which means packer
weigher. The testimony showed that
stockyard scales when taken over
by the state were out of order and
Incorrect, and that they have been
put in order by state experts. 1t
are refusing to renew tHs!r bonds
thus increasing the risk of ship
pers. 1t appeared at the hearing
that one commission firm failed last
year in the sum of $4,000, which
would have been a loss to shippers
had not a state bond been required.
It was clearly shown that during the
time state control has been in force
not one shipper has ever appeared
in the office of the supervisor of
stock yards for the state to protest
against the management or the
charges made for weighing, and that
out of nearly 10000 shippers now
doing business with the Central Co.
operative Live Stock Selling Agency
not one of these shippers either YER
bally or in writing has ever entered
a complaint. 1t was clear from the
evidence that the farmers and live
stock men of Minnesota, and the
Northwest demand state weighers,
and bonded commission men, and
that the safest guarantee is through
state CONTROL. 1t was shown and not
disputed that although the Stock
Yards Company did not make di-
they collected for weighing Indirect
ly by increasing their charges for
yardage of stock and prices on feed
furnished to shippers. 1t was shown
that Federal Control in the past has
meant but little and that under such
control the Stock Yards Company
which means the packers have man
aged their own scales and weighed
the shippers stock.
While the committee has not de-
finitely passed on this bill now be
ing considered, it was plain to be
seen that many Of the members fav
or Federal Control. This is true
not only in this class of legislation
but in all other legislation where it
is possible to rob the states of their
rights, and, centralize power in the
government. 1t may be stated in
conclusion that regardless of what
ever may be the outcome at Wash
ington the railroad and warehouse
commission of Minnesota will carry
this matter to the last resort within
the law to maintain and continue
state control of live stock weighing
and the bonding of all men who SELF
the same.