The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-03-19
For the Democratic Adcocate.
THE STATE CATTLE SCALES.
MEADOW GREEN. March Is. 1881.

MEADOW GREEN, March To- Iool'
NessrS. Editors 1t may be set down as
an axiom in business arrangements, that men
do not clamor to obtain advantages for other
people, but for themselves. Hence, the
farmer, when he hears the railroad kings
and princes of the AbbatOir complaining
about the State Cattle Scales, and the inter
ference by the State with the trade IN cattle,
very naturally feels an instructive conviction
that it is not his interest these gentlemen are
proposing to promote by the change, but Their
oarR. He concludes that the extra gain which
other interests are expecting to make by the
change must in some way be his loss The
cattle are only worth SO much, and 1t, by get
ting clear of the State accommodations to
this trade aud of the disinterested weighing,
other interests are to be materially subserved,
his own must correspondingly suffer. The
arguments of the gentlemen who favor the
change are plausible, however, and II the
farmer or small dealer does not look we'll into
aud study the arrangement, he may be de-
ceiyed as to his interest. By the aid the
State has vouchsafed TO the trade. the farmer
or dealer now has a place OF deposit for his
cattle, with the right to see them weighed and
to sell them himself or by agent as he may
see proper. He has these advantages at the
smallest possible cost, the State making her
profit only in an incidental way, and at
smaller rate. he well knows, than any inter
es,ed parties are likely to give him. SuIl,
small as this incidental profit 10 the State IS
land every one knows It IS as small as Il
can safely be made, and is entirely satistac-
tory t. every farmer and dealer yet It
amounts aad should amount to say-tweaty-
ive thousand dollars year 70 the state,
which is an item the farmer will have 10 foot
up in the shape OF direct tax on his proper
~ whenever the State abandouS her super
vision of the trade Now we will suppose
that through the influence of the Governor,
the railroads and the abbajOir company. the
Legislature is induced to yield TO their ciamOr.
How will the case then stand The State
must sacrifice the property which is now 50
valuable to The cattle interests: the butchers
and dealers who have purchased property 10
the Ueighborhood mast sacrifice theirs aud
the whole trade will go into the hands Of ele
railroads aud abbaieIr company. ms done
a necessity will arise for o Live Stock EN-
change, after the same pattern Us the pres
eul Corn aud Flour Exchange, ireu which
the farmer aud dealer, or his agent wh no Is not
a member, viii be carefully excluded. The
Abbatoir Company and the Live Stock TX
change, will then. IN consultation with ths
railroad companies, froE time TO time, and
a. eNigsncies nay a=sse, fix the terminal
= =
for weighing, &c, &c The farmer or dealer.
whose cattle are in the pens Of the Abaatoir
COMPANY. will end that be eau no more make
a sale for himself than the grain grover can
nov do Of bis own grain. These large inter.
esis can no, be troubled With his presence,
and be will be informed that his interests vii
be better served by the trained agents Of the
eomhiaei buyers than be can serve taem for
himself It be clamo5s and thlaks differently,
ne will probably be- asked what are yoa
going TO DO about 10, aud IN q few moments
he will bo cody told that be knows nothing
about IL, and that his opportunities have be-
come a nuisance 10 the members oi the ES-
change. The farmer aud dealer vii. have no
more rfJAfs than ,hcoEueroi the grain on the
Elevators nov has. tie uiIl g.; bis balance
shes, il due time, giving hin 3 rish; 20 she
remainder Of the price OF bus cattle, a'irE The
superior c'ains OF the Railroad Company,
,he Ahbatoic Company and the Live Stock
Exchange have been deducted liiaspsciors
Of cattle become necessary. rhey wsA be ap
pointed by the Lave SJocs Exchange, So 10
spcciors OF grain are aoN appointed by the
Corn and F.our Eychaugc. and the trade v'l
have nJ letters, except tkuSe which thr bus
sFs 6ni IL 60 ihelr interest 20 hage establish
Cd Let The farmer look 20 Sc that ihr State
does not ,aYrrader ,he.rigAts she has hereto
fore guaranteed 10 him, before it . Too ia;e.
FtkVra-