Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-12-31
Pail ARMOUR AND rnI Bu1F TRADE.

ed paragraph stating that Armour, the
noted Chicago beef king, refused Ia at
tend upou senator Vests congressional
lnvcstigti alton coinmlttec. ralsc,l by Con-
grc.s before the adjournment ot last
summer, for the purpose of lnquifiug In
a. the present depression ~ becf cattle
values. Since the return of the COM
mlitcc io Washington, Mr.. Armour has
been formally summoned 10y sergeant
ai-Arms ~ the senate, In responsc to
which the millionaire packer procc,slc'l
With his attorney 10 Washington, to tell
senator Vest AMI hi associates what hc
knew about bearing prices, and running
the cattle Industry ~ the states. Ap-
peariug before the commission, Mr.. Ar
mour frankly stated that, Ia common
with men In other lines ~ business, Il
was his aim to buy a. chcaply AZ be- can,
and .sll for as much ~ can posslbly bc
secured. through hi business thus
Carricl ON. b. did not hesitate 10 state
that during the past wear be- had round
~ up the very comfortable sum of sIls,.
lOl. in This was yielded on profit ~
only si.g9 per head II the cattle slsugh-
tercd. This. be squsrrly claims. I. not
an exorhitant compensation for handling
ala. l0t ,Oss pounds of beef. Nho can
say that q dollar aud twenty-five cents
l. too much for local butcher tO make
per head on the cattle .llughterrlf II l.
through the Immense business carried
on that such an aggregate ~ profits l.
pilc.l up. Ills Nrrsion of the causes
lcading io the prrscnt depression are of
the utmost Interest. In the course of
MI. statement. on thi. point, be- has the
following explanation;
The depression Ia pricc. and the pre-
ent state of the cattle market. arc due to
the oyer-pruduction aud enforced COM
petition of farmers raising cattle on the
highcr.pric.d aud highly improved
farms ~ Illinois, Iowa, Mlssouri, han.
"a and Nchraska. With the ranchsrs of
the srst and southwest. Who herd thou
sand. ~ this character ~ Inferior cattle
upou public lands ~ little value. The
gradual absorption ~ the ranges by
actual settlers, sni oVrr.pruduction ~
range cattle, have greatly oycrcrowdei
the rem ilning range country, ani have
consequently lcs.rnei The quantity ~
grass. ani impaired H.. uuiriti,r quality.
natural rv.uli. gra.s-fsl range cat
tie have drtefiursiv,i Va weight ani
value. aul the southwestern Steers noN
coming in weigh from 10 a. ~ Ter cent
les than the sivrr. ~ q similar char
arirr al siN year. agu. 1rt.s-ir'l
souihNs.ieru range strvrs are not e..
guol to-,lty a. ihry were then, ani cin-
net b. cNt-stcl iu comm ini ~. same
prizes. \ fcw year. agu large furtunrs
urrr rrllilei in ihr hruling of
,rttle ln 40 sc,tinus wet ~ the Nis-
.nurl River. anl capital frum New Eng.
hnl. Mihlir St,tr., Engltni, scotland
anl The Continent. was r-rklessly In
,rstei in thls neV enterprise. Men
without rNpcrienIv huught whole herls
hy hriui. ani book arrnunf, suppo..
ing they were rc,vl,iug What thTy aciu-
slly paii for. ani h !. generally cun-
ce,ici that Ia few Instances would thc
actual connt ~ the anim u. rNcc'si -
f.rr cent of the numier shown by honk
ic,ount lIc.ausc ~ the great demtni
for ranches, and consequcnt inf alton ~
cattle values. inyestor. oiteu paid for
such cattle greatly above their actual
value. With The truth came distrud In
the husnr.s: hanksrs call~l loans sud
refused accommodations, anil a rush gn-
suc,l on the part 20 mtny Investors, Ia
market their cattle and quit the business.
MANY uthrT cause. have slncr transplrsl
io ,lepFrss this hrinrh 20 the cattle husi-
uess. aud o. causr the oNrr-m ifkcting of
cattle. amnng which NAV D. mentioned
to- thinning out of large ranches, a. th"
government lands have b-rn takrn up
hy actual settlers: the o,rrvruNding uf
other ranges: drouih. anl short pasture (.
severe winters, and ner-s.iiy upon the
part ~ cattle corporation. and owners
fpr the realization ~ quick prohis, Ia
meet the payment ~ guaranteed diNl-
dcnd.. or - Interest and mort gage.
The above cumpori. closely With the
Views expressed hy the Farmer hervio-
fore. N acc~pted ~ correct rrprr--n-
taiion. Il must follow that u .. only q
question ~ time Nhen existing conii-
tions will pass by. and the hcef industry
II the country assume ~. former healthy
condition. II l. easily admitted that la
times past all pressure. on the markets,
causing an embarrassing depression of
values. have corrected themselves ani
passs-i away, aud u cannot D. otherwise
than that ihis will again b. the case.
when cattle arr no longer forced on the
mtrkrt, Aunour and hi associates must
D. unable to make the price. Though
the time l. not Vet Ia view, yct II must
come. Prom observation ON What ~rn-
ator Wee, aud hi. commission have becn
able "a secure through their in,c.tigs-
tlons, u l. not likely that any startling
disclosures arr 90 come ~ u, nor l. II
probable that any means viii b. discoV-
errd to hasten the advent ~ better
price. for b-cf cattle.-Malne Farmer.