The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-10-05
F.. Nothing But Loss in Cattle Raising.
DO the Edltor Of TRR ADvOCATE.


means o net Increase OF half million this year.
More cattle Will be fed for market this year than
usual / estimate that the average value OF all
cattle In the state win be about Sl2, or $780,
900 altogether. We have no epidemic OF any
kind, and winter win find our cattle In excellent
condition.
l clip the above from statement re-
Gently put out by the chairman Of the
state live stock commission. OF course
the intent Of the long article, from which
this item Is taken, is to show q great
prosperity in the cattle interest Of the
state, and that the farmers are growing
rich from this industry.
1t perhaps would be sufficient to make
the broad statement that the mass Of
Kansas farmers engaged in the cattle In
dustry are losing money largely this
year, and lost money last year. The In
telligent cattleman needs no other proof
of the truth of this statement than q
mere reference to the Kansas City cattle
market reports as they appear in the
daily papers.
Having watched the sales of q large
number of shipments from this county,
and made careful inquiry into the price
paid for the cattle, and amounts ex-
pended for keeping, I find the loss rang
ing from $5 to $40 per head, and have
been unable, in the great run Of ship
ments by farmers, to find an instance Of
profit.
The same must be true all over the
state. Cattlemen who have been down
to the city with their cattle tell me this
Is the case. / have talked with large
number of intelligent men who have
dealt in cattle for years in this and other
counties, and all have the same story,
that the cattle business is losing one to
the farmers, and to those who are feeding
and preparing them for market.
The most of the cattle are brought into
the state from Texas, Colorado and other
localities, by Syndlcates, and sold out to
the farmers on ak months and years
time, on notes and chsttel mortgages at
8 and 10 per cent. interest,
In February neighbor ranchman
bought 100 head at $25 per head. He re-
Gently put one-halR on the market, at q
loss Of $5 per head, aside from keeping.
Another neighbor bought 100 head last
fall, and sold them on the 21gt in Kansas
City at $3.50 per hundred, and lS out the
keeping, interest on money, and expense
of marketing. Another nelghbor ranch
man bought $50 head last Februery; has
sold some 100 of them at q loss Of $40
per head. One of the heaviest ranch
men in the county recently sold the top
Of his herd at Q ruinouS loss.
So might go on until l filled your pa
per, and continue to tell the same story.
II the chairman Of the live stock COM
mission will go to Kansas City, run over
the daily sales, interv ew the farmers as
they get the results from the commits
sion men, he will have no disposition to
question these statements.
II the Kansas City Journal would de-
vote one month to this work, It would
give It's readers more truth Of Kansas
farmers than il has given for the last
year. We challenge the people and the
men who are so loudly proclaIming that
Kansas farmers are growing rich under
republican sway TO 60 into the cattle
sales with us, and give the results.
A FARMER.
P. S.-More cattle are probably ship |