The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-06-08
An unnntnraI Condition.

The farmer or stockmaD who has cat
tie to sell knows that there is an appar-
emily astonishing disproportion between
what he receives for his cattle and the
price asked the consumer for beef at
this time. In fact he finds it more diff
cult to effect satisfactory sales in Chica-
90 than he does sometimes when the
butchers are charging a considerable
less price for meats, and if he does not
happen to know what the trouble is, the
situation is an enigma to him. The
truth is that the supply of cattle exceeds
the demand. But then arises the inquiry,
if that is true, how happens it that the
retail prices are so high? We will ex-
plain. Probably the scarcity of grain
had some influence in raising prices at
the beginning, but it is stated that the
rise was principally because of a corner.
At all events beef at retail began to leap
up in price until people to a large extent
stopped buying beef, and the consump-
ton has been steadily falling off, and is
still continuing to fall off This being
the case, the retailers have stopped
buying, except in a comparatively small
way, and the butchers have quit
Strengthening to an extent that makes
the supply inadequate to even the COM
paratively light demand. So with COM
paratively plenty of cattle in the coun-
try, for which the producer cannot get
what he ought to get, the consumer is
compelled to pay almost famine prices
for his beef. 1t is said by the dealers
that the trade is almost wholly in NUT
ton and pork. 1t is a shame that this
large price which beef is commanding
cannot in some way be divided up be-
tween the producer and consumer to
the benefit of each. How far specula-
ton may have operated to produce this
result, we do not know, but, as before
stated, it is said that the fault lies
scarcely anywhere else. If sO-and if
it is not true in this instance, it is true
with other food products very often-it
is sad commentary upon our civiliza-
ton. If there is no way to prevent in
dividuals and boards OF trade from using
the products of our farms as the basis
of gambling operations, to the detriment
of the farmer and to the injury of the
consumer, there is something radically
wrong in what we call civilized life,
and the rules and laws which it orig
mates. 1t viii not be claimed that a
man or set of men have the right to
carry on a business by the side of other
mems property that would injure the
latter. The enjoyment OF any rights
which we have is conditioned upon it
being harmless to our neighbOr. This
is the theory of civilized government.
Yet men are permitted to make a cor
ner on grain or meat, which is an iniu-
~ to every producer, or to the majority
of producers, in the end at least, and to
every consumer. 1t is simply getting
money at the expense of somebody else,
nothing more or less. And what the
difference i3 between that and setting
up a disreputable business next door to
another mans residence, we cannot
see.
The number of really good cattle is
small, the price of corn being so high
that nothing can be made feeding it.
AS most of the best cattle, however,
always 90 East, Western markets are no
worse off. or at least not much, on that
account. The usual stock from which
Western markets are supplied is plenty.
- Western Rural.