THE RESTRICTION ON ARMOURS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 12

THE RESTRICTION ON ARMOURS.

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, — 1 was much, interested in a letter appearing in last week’s Otago Witness (September 20) over the signature of A. 8. Brooks, of Vicksburg, Michigan, U.S.A. It is: a far cry front l, nited States of North America to New Zealand, and vet here is a. citizen of that vast country taking so kindly an interest in the New Zealand farmers that lie writes us a personal letter to open our eyes to the way we are being exploited by local freezing companies and other profiteering middlemen whom we cherish in our midst, while we reject the advantages to be gained by dealing through Armour and Co. Mr Brooks says he is not interested in Armour and Co. AVho and what is he? We’ll take him at his word. Anyway he is a very kind gentleman, and lie does open our eyes, though not in the way lie intends. As the straws floating on the surface of a stream reveal hidden, currents beneath, so does A. S. Brooks’s letter indicate the workings of the meat trust. Air Brocks says that Armour and Co. will create competition. Let me make a few quotations from a book written by an American on how the Meat Trust works in America. Mr Brooks says that Armour and Co. and other members of the Big Five are the real backbone of the live stock industry in America. Now listen to Charles Edward Russell in his book "The Greatest Trust in the World,” written in 1908: ‘'Competition in the buying market has been destroyed; competition in the selling market: has been destroyed. Cattle arc cheaper. Meat is dearer. It has in the last three years increased, for its own benefit, the expenses of every household in America. It controls or influences the prices of one-half the lood consumed by the nation. It has its share in the proceeds, of more commodities of daily consumption than all other trusts, combinations, ttud monopolies together, and the price-.- of these it seeks to augment for its own profit. . . . Its operations have impoverished or ruined farmers and stockmen, destroyed millions of investments, caused sank - to break and men to commit suicide, 1 )! crupdated strikes, and annihilated industry. . . So great is the terror it inspires in some quarters that, . ami multi-millionaires and railway magnates quail before- it. they (the organ isers of the trust] operate one of the mo-t cruel and oppressive monopolies.’’

Speaking of the States of lowa arid South Dakota, ho says: ‘‘Both States are very wealthy very fertile, settled by the thrifty and industrious. The total losses of the cattle-feeders in lowa in 1904 are computed at 12,5Q0,CC0d01. lit 1903 and 1904 40 banks in lowa failed, c'osed their doors, or went out of business, and at least seven bank officers committed suicide.” The trust, he says, controls 62 articles of food and other necessities of life. He tells how the stock-breeder brings his cattle to the saleyards, and there is only one bid. To-day it is Swift’s man, to-morrow it is Armour’s, and so on. But though one man buys the lot one day, that same lot ia distributed between the four or five houses. I oannot quote the whole book, but recommend readers to get it. What we need to do —we, the people of New Zealand —is to combine to fight this gigantic, far-reaching tyranny of modern times —not for sentiment, but for our bread and butter. It is not just the farmers who are concerned in this. A. S. Brooks wants us to turn down our own middlemen and employ the trust to handle our produce. Now, our own middlemen earn their money here and spend it here, and pay income tax here. The trust takes all it makes right out- of the country. Bet it get a proper grip, then we shall know it. The labourer for hire will know it when fie pays top price for his food, while the farmer gets bottom price for that same food. I see by last week’s Witness that the trust- is only going to employ non-union men. Another scheme to break the barricades that the weaker have erected for selfdefence ! It is to be hoped that the Hon. Minister for Agriculture will stick to his guns, and that- all members of our Legislature will support him. It is quite to be expected that the trust will bo frying its hand on Mr Massey while he is passing through America. It is to be hoped that he won t fail us. This is, I consider, a crucial time for us. 1 note that many are studying the matter out. The present- slump is, 1 consider, but the work of the trust. Dairy produce will receive their kind attention next. But- people are waking up, and not too soon. Perhaps too late. We are a little country- but- little countries have won through before this, and if we are of the right stuff we’ll do the same. —I am, etc. Awa Loon Sooth.