Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-14
An INTERESTING INrERv1Ew.
What a Chicago Commission Man Thinks
of the Cattle Industry and the
Future of Texas.

of the Cattle Industry and the
Future of Texas.
Mr., W. T. keenan,, of the commission firm o I
Keenan, Sons, Union stockyards, Chicago, is
one Of the delegates to the convention appointed
BY Governor Fifer OF Illinois. Mr.. Keenan, was
seen yesterday afternoon at the Ellis by GA
zETTE reporter and interviewed with the follow
ing result. The reporter asked:
Chow long have you been in the commission
business. Mr.. keenan,
u have been in business twenty-five years in
Chicago. The firm of keenan, & Sons has been
established only since 1883. -
What changes have there been in the mode
business?''
''As look back on the history of the cattle
trade for the past twenty-five years, the thing
that strikes most fOrcibly is the change
brought about by the refrigerator mode of ship
ment. and the canning of meats. Both have
come to stay, and there is combination that
can be formed against an alleged monopoly in
the meat trade without the use of the refrigeTa-
tor and the meat cam
do you think there is any monopoly existing
At present to depress the price OF cattle?'
''FrOm the best information l can obtain I
believe that at the present time each and all of
those engaged in the dressed beef bushes would
be glad 10 have the assurance that they would
make clean profit OF 81 per head on all the
cattle they may handle. The Chicago market
has been built up by heavy dealers who could
afford TO make but small profit on each animal
handled and still make great deal of money N
the course Of year. do not believe IN damn
ing ans man because he does large business"
''What abhut the Big Four?' -
1.-The Big Four has become the big
Ssven, and l hope it will soon become the Big
Twenty So far as an alleged monopoly or
combination of large dealers in Chicago, st.
Louis, Kansas City and Omaha is concerned,
1 can assure you those on the ground take
very little stock in il. -
''What is the future prospect or the range
business, from your standpoint
- am inclined to think that those who
derstand the ranch business thoroughly, and
run their ranches on business principles, will
make more money by combining themselves to
that, and getting the pest prices that the best
market of the country will afford than they would
10 20 further and ally themselves with any sort
of combination. having for its object the
breaking up of the business Of those who sell
their cattle for them for a falr commission,
those who buy them from them and make
small profit
''You are member of the Chicago livestock
exchange?'
II am. -
''wlSat is your opinion of livestock ex-
1.-The livestock exchanges at the different mar
kets are good thing. They maintain high
standard OF comm rcial integrity, and failures
IN business and sharp tricks In trade are now
almost unknown
''wrat do you regard as fair commission for
~ think the rate OF commission for selling
stock should be based on a percentage OF the
gross proceeds. It is unpopular with hose who
handle few. II any, Western range or Texas
cattle. They think that If should agree to
sell Western cattle on percentage basis, we
would be obliged to sell native cattle in the
same way, in which case the effect would be to
considerably decrease the earnings of the com
mission men. There would, 10 doubt, be much
complaint by those who ship but few native
cattle, If we should sell them for l per cent.
without maximum of fifty cents per head.
II we should make the maximum fifty
cents per head, the reduction in COM
mission would be considerable. It would
be impossible for US TO change our
rate OF commission, unless could lessen
the expenses incident to our present mode OF do
ing business. I have been consistent advocate
of the percentage plan for years, and shall well
H. W
change shall see fit to adopt it in place OF the
present commission OF fifty cents per head. But,
while l am member Of the exchange 1 shall
continue TO sell cattle upon the basis fixed by
the rules of the exchange. L however, claim
the right, as an individual, to express my own
opinions tieely concerning the adoption OF s
percentage basis, and shall continue to work and
talk with view to securing its adoption, in JUS
tice to those who have made arrangements for
the current yeSr on the basis Of rule as it now
stands. "
what do you think of the establishment o,
refriggrators in Texas?''
with regard to the establishment of large
packing houses and refrigerators at some point
in The Southwest, believe that If there poinG
IN Texas destined some time 10 be good mar |
ket il is here at Fort Worth. There can be no |
market except where good cattle can be bought !
every DAY IN the year-not q few, but q great /
many. When that time comes I expect to see a |
good market here, with all the dressed beef |
houses necessary to do the business of large |
hope of the future for the Texas cattle industry |
Is In the feeding Of your cattle to make your own
What do you think Of Texas as an agricul-
tural state?''
Il think that the Lone Star state is going TO
be one of the greatest agricultural and cattle
producing states in tse Union. In few years
the best cattle received IN Chicago viii be from
the state of Texas. We saw q sample of what
the state of Texas can do at our fat stock show
last November, when J. B. Wilson Of your state
walked off with several OF the best premiums
Your state is noted for its fertility of SOIL aud
people from the best farming states of the East
are emigrating into your state account of its
productive soil. They viii raise corn
70 feed it 10 cattle. hogs and sheep, and
IN few years you viii be on top. There was
time when cotton was king. But times have
changed. At present corn is king, and when
you farmers get to understand that they can
raise more corn to the sore in Texas than any !
other state IN the Union, ana that they can
breed aud raise white faces, black mules and
good ola Kentucky Durhams as well in Texas as
IN any other state, our Texas friends, as well as
Qua Illinois farmers, viii ship 500 steers to mar
ket, and If we willing 10 sell them at 8 per /
cent. commission we ali Will be satisfied