Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1902 — TRUST IN LAW’S GRIP. [ARTICLE]

TRUST IN LAW’S GRIP.

MEAT BARONS CHARGED WITH VIOLATING SHERMAN ACT. .Government Attorneys Allege the Combine Effected a Pact to Fix Prices—- “ Big Six” Corporations of Chicago and Klsewhcrc Defendants. Six violations of the Sherman anti-trust law are alleged against Chicago packers in a plea for a temporary injunction filed Saturday in the United States Circuit Court at Chicago by United States District Attorney Sol H. Bethea. The bill asks that the packing companies and their officers be restrained from further practice of the violation of law and urges that they he compelled to bring their books into court that full and comprehensive investigation of their business may be made. In addition to tiling the bill of specifications against the packers District Attorney Bethea has announced that he will make a motion for a temporary injunction against the various corporations" in the trust. The. allegations are much the same that have been made unofficially from time to time. Truth ot three has been admitted by the packers, who assert they have been justified by United States and State courts.

The most important fact set up by the government is that the packing firms named as defendants in the bill have from time to time sent representatives to meetings at which prices have been fixed. This charge is made in the eighth section of the bill. The accusation is that the meeting's have been attended by representatives of all the companies and have been held at various intervals. In addition to fixing and regulating prices the men who attended the meeting are alleged to have fixed penalties for violations of their agreement and to have agreed to the “blacklisting” of retail dealers who were posted as delinquents. The gist of the six points made in the government's complaint follows: That the packing firms, through their representatives, held meetings at which meat prices have been fixed.

That they have instructed their agents in various stock markets to refrain from bidding against each other, thus reducing buying rates. That they have instructed their agents to bid up prices iu order to induce stock raisers to make large shipments and hare then lowered the prices on delivery, obtaining cattle at unreasonable prices. That they have entered into an agreement to eharge uniform prices for the delivery of goods, thus increasing “cartage" prices and putting up the prices of meat.

That they have entered into agreements with railroad companies by which they received rebates and special privileges in violation of the interstate commerce laws.

That they have entered into a conspiracy with railroads and their represeuta tives to obtain a monopoly of the cattle markets.

The last two charges affect the railroads. but they are not made defendants in the bill, as the proof of the charges must depend upon evidence that their officers can give. Each and every one of the charges is alleged to be a violation of the Sherman anti-trust law of July 2, 1890. It is said in the bill that the packers will continue their business operations as heretofore until restrained from doing so by an injunction. The bill names as defendants the packing firms that form what is known as the “big six.” Iu addition to naming the companies the bill designates twenty-four of their officers and directors. The corporations named in the bill as defendants are: Swift A Co., of Illinois. The Cuduby Fucking Company, of Illinois. The Hammond Facking Company, of Illinois. Armour & Co., of Illinois. The Armour Facking Company, of New Jersey. The G. 11. Hammond Company, of Michigan. Schwarzschild & Sulzberger Company, of New Y'ork. Nelson Morris, Edward Morris and Ira N. Morris, copartners as Nelson Morris & Co., of Illinois, In the preface of the bill it is stated that all these firms and corporations arc engaged in the buying, selling and shipments of beef nnd that they control ISO per cent of the trade, having bought nnd told in tho last year 4,000,000 cattle. The bill was fiualty prepared in Washington by Attorney General I’hilander <’. Knox nnd Special Assistant Attorney General W. A. Day.