"The ability of the large packers
to undersell the small slaughterer
locally," says the report, "is a potent
weapon, even if unused, to keep him
from undertaking any aggressive cam
paign to increase his business. The
branch houses and 'peddler car'
routes of the Chicago packers cover
the country with such a network that
the local slaughterer realizes that he
cannot maintain himself against their
distributing system if he should at
tract their unfavorable attention by
aggressively trying to increase his
volume of business. The local packer,
though able to compete in the local
market, fears to exert his full powers.
His strong tendency is to come in
'under the umbrella' of big packer
prices and to content himself with a
modest share of the near-by business.
Evidence on this point and on com
petitive conditions generally is given
in other parts of the report."
Average monthly holdings of non
perishable meats during 1916, the re
port shows, were for the Big Five as
against all other interstate slaught
ers; of frozen beef; 95.0 per cent;
smoked ham and bacon, 64.1 per
cent.; dry salt pork, 69.8; pickled
pork, 70.5; total meats from swine,
70.0.
CONTROL GREAT PACKING
CENTERS.
The Big Five control interstate
slaughter at the 12 packing centers
Chicago, Kansas City. Omaha, et.
Louis, New York City, St. Joseph,
Fort Worth. St. Paul, Sioux City, Ok
lahoma City, Denver and "Wichita
was during 1916, 94.4 per cent, of cat
tle; 89.1 calves; 94.3 Eheep and
lambs; and 81 swine.
