Page:United States Reports, Volume 209.djvu/147

 209 U. 8, Opinion of th Court. that they are reasonably fair to Chicago and to the shippers; that the shipmehts of live stock from peints between Chicago and the Missouri River and St. Paul are as great in proportion to the volume of business as before the preent rates were made; that the majority of the live stock comes to Chicago from points as near as 150 miles this side of the Missouri River and St. Paul, and that the lower rate given to the packers doee not seem to directly influence or injure the shippers of live stock." If the rates complained of have not materially affected any of the markets, prices, or shipments; if they are reasonably fair to Chicago and the shippers; if the shipments of live stock from the west to Chicago are as great in proportion to the bulk of the business as before the present rates were made, and the lower rate given to the packers does not directly influence or injure the shippers of live stock; it is difficult to see what foundation there can be for the claim of an undue and unrea- sonable preference. It would seem a fair inference from the findings that the real complaint was that the railroad corn~ panics did not so. fix their rates as to help the Chicago packing industry; that they recognized the fact that along the Missouri River had been put up large packing~houses, and, without any intent to injure Chicago, had fixed reasonable rates for the carrying of live stock to such pecking-housos and also to Chi- cago; that thcee packing-houses being nearer to the eattie fields were able to engage in the packing industry as conven- iently and successfully as the packing-houses in Chicago. If we were at liberty to consider the mere question of sentiment, eertinly to place' packing-housos cloe to the eattie fields, thus avoiding the necessity of long transportation of the liv- ing auimals--a transportation which cannot be accomplished without more or lees suffering to them-and to induce trans- pertation to those nearer packing-houses would deserve to be commended rather than condenmed. With reference to competition we have referred to the cases in this court in which that matter has been considered. Ac-

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