National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-12-26

reductions, had gone from Sl3.41 per 100
pounds IN 1875 down TO $500 In 1879, rose
from S7.43 in 1880 to $l0.S5 in 1881, and In
1882 averaged S11.50 to fall again after the
cheaper and more abundant crop Of 1882,
the increasing numbers Of hogs, and. the de-
cline In foreign expectation.
These fluctuations are inevitable, and the |
wise grower must be alert in discovering |
the signs Of the times, and In marketing his |
product In the best condition and at the |
proper time. At the same time he must be |
prepared to accept such variations OF price |
and profit as no foresight can avert to take |
take the fat with the lean, improve his stock, |
cheaper the cost Of laying on meat, and |
rest assured that the average result Will he |
satisfaction and prosperity Yet the pres
sent question is, How can new marketssbe |
found for increasing productsY The west
ern packers cut up one aud third million
more hogs last year, and large corn crop
promises q further increase OF pork pro-
ducts; indeed, the summer packing OF the
present year Is nearly million In excess OF
last year.
What shall be done to increase the de-
mand A European war may not come to
the relief of producers, and no pestilence
Is seen stalking among herds of foreign
swine. Little can be done in an emergency,
as the law Of supply and demand is mex.
orabe as fate, but there are opportunities
for charging somewhat the domestic con.
sumption where a small percentage leads to
high figure, and greater still for the stim.
ulation Of the foreign demand. Though
the rate Of consumption abroad is low, II is
gradually increasing, and the numbers to
bc fed are very large. The laudable desire
Of every country to feed Itself Is stimu-
liant 10 domestic production and n bar TO
importation, while the increase OF meat
eating aud the frcqueutly-recurring def
ciencies Of production open doors for the
entrance Of our surplus, With vigilance
IN watching such openings, with diplomatic
skill In Inbarring the doors now closed,
and with an intelligent adaptation OF
products to forms aud fashions dictated by
The iron rule OF ancient customs, and a
wise effort 10 dispel the ignorant prejudice
against American meats, production and
profit may still he increased.
one WAY or INCREASING CONSUMPTION.
There is chance for enlargement OF
home consumption among the people OF
towns and cities whose sedentary occupa-
ton and indoor life have weakened diges-
tion and rendered fastidious and capricious
their alimentary preferences. The heavy
hogs, loaded with the carbonaceous burden
of the oeaginous corn, In which your
packers so much delight, and which are the
especial pride CT the opulent Poland China
man who grows them, are not largely used
| in competition with beef and mutton by
large class of the denizens Of cities: they
| prefer n slice Of delicately-cured breakfast
| bacon from a carefully-pastured and pea
| fed shoat Of 200 pounds, grown In the open
air between the first days Of spring aud the
| coming OF winter.
would not be understood to say that a
modicum OF corn in the frosty autumn
| would do them any damage, but would
| have them develop n healthy muscle In
cropping their own grass and securing their
| own forage, which should be always abund-
ant. They should be moderately pinguid
| without being plethoric. They should, die
| IN full vigor Of health, and not stand in
constant danger of death by fatty degen-
| Grafton, or asthmatic smothering, or the
| insidious and dreaded cholera. Their vigor
should not even allow place TO suspicion
| Of morbiic tendency. There are some grow
ers and curers of such bacon who obtain
| prices far In advance Of the average price OF
pork products. There is room for many
| more, and demand which is surely grow
ing for product which can be relied on by
large class Of customers. A material en-
largement Of consumption az a substantial
profit can be made by intelligent and sys-
tematic effort in this direction.
HISTORY OF EXPORTS.
Now we come to the consideration of our
expectation of pork products, the preserva-
ton Of this valuable trade and its extern
sion. Early In the history OF our foreign
trade is found annually the record OF eX-
portation of pork and corn. Between 1870
and 1880 the annual value OF pork products
exported was never less than 81 100000 and
never so much as 1000, 900; In the decade
ended in 1910 there was no minimum be-
low million and no maximum OF two mil
lions attained, except In 1888; between 1S4l
and 1850 the range OF expectation was from
two to nine millions; and In the next decade
the trade exceeded ten millions four times,
1854 to 1857 inclusive, and falling below that
figure again for three years. Since 1860 the
increase has been rapid, the range from
thirteen millions in 1866 to one hundred and
four in 1881, and the total quantity over
twelve hundred millions Of pounds.
Notwithstanding the comparatively high
price Of corn since 1881, and the check to
expectation by foreign prohibition, the
records show the largest foreign shipments
in the last five years, in comparison with O
former similar period. In bacon and hams
the exports have been 2,705, 000, 900 pounds
against 1893, 000, 900 in five years from 1876
to 1879 inclusive, but the export price has
been lower, averaging S.S cents for the lat
ter period and "a for the former. The
same may be said of sailed pork, OF which
407,0O00O0 pounds have been shipped
against $4,000, 900, and the prices have
! been 10 and $50 respectively; and of lard
of which shipments have aggregated ,493,
: 100000 pounds against 1899, 900, 900, ant
the prices have been 90 and 90 cents, re
, spectively. The total value Of this expor
tation has been $4l3, 000, 900 for the last fiv,
. years. and 1871 100000 for the preceding
) period. Notwithstanding some reduction
Q | In price per pound, the value has averaged
t $1,000, 600, against $74,OOO,0O0 between
c 1875 and 1870.
Q These are opulent figures. Not many dc
cades ago cotton could not show suc
: value, though it dominated expectation
. controlled exchanges, dictated politlca
4 policy, and held imperial sway In ofllcia
and social life. We need no swine oligai
Q chy, we desire no Poland China arlstocracy
g but we do deem 1t expedient and necessar
/ to exercise some prevailing influence, DIP
n lomatic or legislative, the former immed
It ately, the latter as dernier resort II
$ should be found necessary.
d While this expectation has been at II
: height within the past five years, 1t is we
Il known that it has declined seriously sine
l. 1881, when the eliminating point Of ,23;
o 100000 pounds had been reached. 1t fe
y off in 1881 mean the fiscal year ende
Is June SOTO 79S, 100000, and the next yea
II to 627000,000, q reduction In two years c
y almost one-half. To be sure, there Ia
n been some advance since, but the reductio
k in expectation from the shipments of lSs
# amounts to over 1900, 900 hogs per annuu
$ and 1t reduces prices and limits production
# The cause Of this decrease Of eXportatio
/ is well understood. The pork butchers {
d western Europe found American compel
}, ton very serious. They desired to contrC
l. q trade which has been very proftabl,
G. from whichit is understood the members {
;, the guild could easily retire In a do2e
e years in comfortable circumstances. TIL
N excellence and popularity and low prices {
II the American products made them populG
l. with consumers. So the governments wei
n besieged with petitions, not by swim
e. raisers but by pork butchers and dealer
to interdict entirely the importation an
sale OF all products Of American porl
There must be some pretext other than Il
le personal loss OF profits by this diversion
N trade, and 1t was found In breaking one