New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-31
THE PRICES OF FOOD.

We recently published sensible ana iorcipie
letter from Mr.. VIM. Renick, a leading stock
grower of Pickaway County, Ohio on the subject
of the ruling prices of Beef Cattle iii this market,
and their relation to other current prices. MIR.
Renck insists, with apparent justice, that Beet at
present prices is no higher than other staple
articles of foOd-that it cannot be produced with
profit in his section at lower prices-and that,
even at current rates, the production is diminish
ing. We assume all this TO be true, and proceed
to state some more truth which seems essential to
a clear understanding of the whole subject. But
let us first set forth fully the points on which
we presume there can be no room for controversy
at least between us and Mr.. Renck:
i. Every stock-grower is entitled, the world
goes, to the very highest price which any one can
without deception be induced 10 pay for his pro-
duct. and he has a perfect legal right to demand
twenty five cents per pound for his fat beef, and
refuse to sell it for less. Whether that would or
would not be a wise determination, is his own az
fair altogether.
ii. All the resolves Of butchers not 10 pay more
than certain price, aided by newspaper diatribes
against the cupidity of growers, drOvers or specu-
lators, will not reduce the price of beef One-half
mill per pound-Demand and Supply, in their re-
ciprocal influences, being the only regulators of
price.
ILL., No farmer can be expected to grow food
for Beef Cattle on his land when he can more
prOfably devote it to some other use; nor will he
feed corn TO his Cattle when the beef thus pro-
duced will bring him less than he could sell the
L II
Beef must rise also, or its production by feeding
Corn will fall off.
we believe the foregoing are points on which
Mr.. Renck would fully agree with us, and they
cover nearly the whole ground. Yet there is a
corner of it which they do not cover, and we will
| now ask his attention to that
There is a limited number of consumers, i'll this
as in every city, to whom the price of a fayorite
article, within probable limits, is no Object--whO
will buy just as many beelSteaks or rOasts at TWEEN
| ty.fye cents per pound as at twelve or fifteen.
But there is much larger class OF consumers who,
especially in times of general high prices, must
study economy; and who will have fresh beef
twice a week when good fOur-pOund steak costs
but fifty cents, when they must cen content them
selves with one such per week when it costs seven
ty-fve cents, and with none should the price rise
TO Misunderstanding for steak some cheaper
nOurshment.
The clerk or skilled mechanic, who receives five
hundred dollars for his years labor, and must
therefrOm pay house-rent and feed and clothe a
family of three to ten persons, must now buy fresh
beef for his Sunday dinner, and make pork fish, or
! some cheaper substance serve for weekdays; the
ay-labOrer, whose yearly Income is three hundred
or less must use meat sparingly at best, and the
dearcr sorts not at all. For, though you say that
other staples are enhanced in price as well as
beet. it is none the less true that a wholesome,
hearty dinner for eight or ten persons can by Il
good Housewife be got up of beans, corn-meal,
some kind OF cheap fish, or a shin-bOne for soup, at
half the cost OF dinner for the same family COM
posed mainly of fresh beef, potatoes and wheaton
bread. Or in other words, the corn OF which Mr..
Renick makes a run of beef would 90 much further
in nourshng and subsistpg human beings than the
beef will.
There is, therefore, no real discrepancy between
Mr.. Renick's statements and our occasional eau
tions tostock growers and cattle-speculators that
the price of Beef in this market cannot be perma-
ncnt maintained above ten cents per pound. This
is an opinion only, TO which every one will give
Just such weight as he sees fit. With money
ant, business brisk, labor fully employed,
and he prices Of property rising, it may be posi-.
bic 10 realize eleven or twelve cents for good beef
through o m,p.h Or two; but in the average of
wear, even with war prices prevailing, We think i:
csIHct L.. StocE-grOwcrs, droyc.s End cattle
spectators viii look over the ground for them