Thursday, July 10th, 1919
THE ALLIANCE (NEBRASKA) HERALD
AN UNFOUNDED
REFLECTION UPON
LIVE STOCK COMMISSION MEN
"THE PRODUCER" WEAKENS ITS OWN INFLUENCE FOR
GOOD JJY INACCURATE AND UNFAIR STATEMENT
IN THE INITIAL NUMBER.
By John AY, Ttioituta
"The Producer" is the tame of a
new monthly periodical, the first
number of which was Issued from
the the publication office In Denver
In June. ' .
At the twenty-second annual con
vention of the American National
Live Stock Association, held at Den
ver In January of this year, the
Executive Committee was authoriz
ed to start the publication of a paper.
Pursuant to this action, the Ameri
can National Live Stock Publishing
Company was incorporated, and the
necessary steps were taken to put
Into effect the object of the resolu
tion. "
The first issue contains . a large
amount of editorial and news mat
ter that is interesting and valuable
to live stock men. because of the
high character which it is intended
that this publication shall bear, it is
all the more regrettable that a gross
misstatement should ha crept into
a leading editorial in the first num
ber. Speaking of live stock commission
men who overcharged their clients
. on feeding charges, Tbe i'rooucer
said: "Every commission firm in the
k trade to a greater or less degree,
aimed to secure a profit from this
source of revenue."
The principal criticism that5I have
to offer on the above quoted state
ment is that it is ABSOLUTELY
UNTRUE.
Unprincipled and dishonest men
sometimes get into the live stock
commission business, as well as in
all other kinds of business, but that
does not Justify a wholesale condem
nation of men engaged In that busi
ness. There Is probably, not another
business" organization that more
strictly requires square dealing on
the part of its members than the live
stock exchanges ta the open markets
In this country. -
rniinwine is the editorial in The
Trnrtiippr from which the above
quotation is taken:
Overcharges on Feed Rills.
Tha fniinwine statement han been
Issued by the Chicago Live Stock Ex
change: The Chicago Live Stock Exchange
has expelled Messrs. Lawrence i
Dnoi vrtA J. Rannal. Simon P.
Rappal! John H. Rappal, and Charles
p. shtpman from membership in this
exchange, and has indefinitely sus
pended Mr. John E. Qulnn from the
privileges of the exchange. This ac
tion was taken by its board of direc
tors on May and was the direct
' result of charges made by the pros!
ecutlng con-mltiei- of the exchange,
charging that these men. operating
as Rappal Brothers & Company and
Rappal Brothers & Qulnn. had vio
lated Rule VII of the rules of the
exchange by excessive overcharges
for feed made against their custom
ers The United States government,
through Its imreau of Markets. Is al
lied tc h found, by auditing the
pru books, that during the year
Its customer had been over
charged for feed to the extent of
ton flfi.12.
The Chicago Live Stock Exchange.
By E. M. Hughes, Secretary.
tl.ider authority conferred on him
by the act of Congress approved
August 10, 1917, known as the
Pood Control Act. the President of
the United States, on June 26. 1918,
placed under federal license the com
mission men, traders, packer buyers,
and stock-yard companies; the ad
ministration of the license to be
under the Department of Agriculture
through Its Bureau of Markets.
their business will, in time, cure
many of these market evils. When
near la dprlared. the authority con
ferred on the President by the Food
Control Act ceirfces. ana it win De
Under the license regulations it was
provided:
w 7. A license shall not make
or exact any unjust, exorbitant, un
reasonable, or discriminatory ana
Unfair commission, profit, or charge
for buying, selling, receiving, hold
ing, feeding, watering, shipping, or
otherwise handling or dealing in
live stock or In connection with
stock-yards.
Last fall the commission men, by
concerted action through their var
ious exchanges, advanced the com
mission charges for the sale of, live
Btock from. 20 to CO per cent aver-
trine ubout 30 Der cent. L'uon com
plaint the American Natlpnal Live
stock Association and other live
stock organizations, the Bureau of
Markets instituted hearings as to
the reasonableness of these advances
Public hearings were held at Chi
cago, Denver and Kansas. City. Com
mission men were required to fur
nish financial statements showing
their receipts and expenditures, in
eluding charges for feeding, etc.
After the conclusion of these hear
Intra, accountants from the Bureau of
Markets went over the books of re-
nrpRpntative commlsison firms at the
various markets, in order to ascer
tain the character of their earnings
and expenditures. Among the inter
esting data secured was information
clearly proving that Borne comnils
sion firms were making large sums
of moaey through excessive feed
bills charged against their patrons.
It has long been suspected by ship
pers that commission firms were very
lax in their methods or Handling
feed charges: that hay and grain was
charged for which was never fed;
that whatever feed was left was also
charged to the' next user of the pen
a double charge. In other words,
commission firms, so as to be on the
safe side in their feed accounts,
charged up a liberal amount of feed
to practically every consignment re
ceived. "
The fact that the Chicago firm
which was expelled garnered a profit
nf nvpr 20.000 dollars during one
year on its feed bills demonstrates
how criminally careless some com
mlBRlon firms are in the handling of
their feed accounts. The Juggling
of these feed accounts was not an ac
cident. Every commission firm in
Ao tn a creater or less de
gree, aimed to secure a profit from
this source of revenue, it was wen
known In commission house circles
thnt this renrehensible practice exist
ed for years, and that the graft was
increasing; and it is truly regreitame
that nnr aeents. the commission
mon did nn take some steps to cor
rect it. Nothing was done until the
Bureau of Markets unearthed some
Bcandalous Instances of its grave
abuse. Probably it would have gone
on forever, and been winked at by
these live-stock exchanges, bad It
not hopn for the exnose through the
Bureau of Markets. " Let us score
one for that bureau.
Possibly the expulsion from the
UvA-Mtork exchanees of sbme of the
firms guilty of unjust an aexorouani
methods may make the other com
mission firms more careful in the
handling of their food accounts. Let
us hope so. It will, however, pay all
ahlnnera to exercise reasonable care
in BAoine- that the feedlnr charges
assessed against them bear some Just
relation to the actual amount or iooa
consumed.
Th cau in noint well emphasizes
the importance of the regulation of
the commission nrms Dy me govern
ment. Publicity of the conduct of
tiritttPAry for Congress to enact so'me
legislation which will enable tne
nartmnt of Acriculture to exercise
supervision over these various agen
cies connected rlth the handling or
live stock at market centers. The
Kendrick Bill provides for such authority.
Th rttirean of Markets still has
nnder advisement the reasonableness
of the advance In commission cnar-
tt Is hoted that a decision will
be handed down this spring. The
vice of the nve-stocK commission
business Is that there are too msny
people seeking to extract a living
from it. The actual necessary worn
could be performed much better with
fewer firms. Mos of the time of
many of these firms is devoted to se
curing business ana aurncim u
from their competitors. Is this a
legitimate expense which the shlpnrr
should pay for?
Self-Conquest
Pa'lcnce and. gentleness nre not
easy virtues when one Is troubled
within and buffeted without by the
day's trials nnd demand". There Mre
many times whi n th taking of a city
might nienn less to the Individual sol
dUr concerned thnn rhe conquest of
his own spirit nnd tongue. There are
tense days when n carping or unjust
word falls on the spirit like a lighted
match on tinder; wherefore we should
be the more careful to store no tinder
for ourselves, and toss no lighted
matches nt our fellows.
a 1 a n a i . -a mr
jn
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LIVE STOCK COMMISSION
STOCK YARDS, OMAHA
Supported by sound Judg dX&S ''J
ment and a sincere iur XyK"3"
pojc are the strong points j"IafWA " l
In our service. Tills f''i7?T-
shows seven of the tJx- Wf ' ' : V ! j
teen members at our YLM' I ,
maha House CjST-:.
A
LETT
ER
From Dr. Todd,Well Known and Popular Dentist
of Omaha
JD)r.(G. W. TODB ;
DENTIST
403 Barker Block.
DEAR FRIENDS :
(Over Beaton's Drag Store)
Corner 15ty ft Farnum Sts.
Omaha, Neb., July 7, 1919
With the completion of eighteen years of practice in Dentistry vre find ourselves occupying the largest, most
complete and best equipped dental office in the middle west; having just fcaoved to our new location in the Barker
Block, Fifteenth and Farnam streets, occupying the Fourth Floor.
We desire especially to express our appreciation to our friends why read The Alliance Herald, for they have (
been most cordial in the support of our institution. The many kind words spoken by them in behalf of our work
helped to make possible the marked progress we have made. '
Sunday hours : 9 a. m. to 12 m. Evening hours by appointment. '
Advanced methods in dentistry, many of them the product of our own ingenuity, has contributed largely to
the popularity of our service; in this connection we mention with considerable pride the Whole Porcelain Teeth,
used in bridge work, and the respirator, which has proven a great success in the relief of pain in delicate dental
execution.
Our service is a guaranteed dental service, and we are always glad of the opportunity for inspection of car
work to enable us to make good our guarantee.
Our facilities are greater now than ever before, therefore, we are now better prepared than ever to attend
your dental needs in a manner which cannot be otherwise than satisfying. '
We urge you to call and see us, no matter whether yon have work to be done or not, we are always pleased to
welcome our friends, and to inform them of the best to be obtained in dentistry, that they may be informed when
i
dental work becomes a necessity for them.
Extending to you every courtesy and hoping to be favored with a visit to our new home, I remain, l
v . Very cordially; t
Dr. G. W. Todd
The Herald takes pleasure in recommending Dr. Todd and his den
tal establishment to stockmen and others who visit Omaha and are
in need of dental work.
I3a
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