Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-04-19
THE REASON WHY.
SECRETARY MORTON WANTS TO
KNOW JUST WHY.
The Price OF Meats have Advanced,
and to Determine whether q
May not Be a Corner Made by
the Trusts-A Representative OF
Armour Denies, as u Matter Of

Secretary of Agriculture Morton has
begun an inquiry into the recent in
crease in the price of meats for the
purpose of ascertaining if any combi-
nation in violation of the law exists
The Secretary's letter of instruction is
as follows:
CDR. d. E. Salmon, Chief of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry-Sir !:
Furnish at your earliest convenience
statement of the number of cattle
received at the stockyards in Omaha,
Kansas City, East st. Louis and
Chicago during the months of Janu-
ary, February and March, for the
years 1894 and 1895. 1t is important
just at this time to ascertain as nearly
as may be from these sources what II
falling off there is in the cattle sup
ply of the United States as compared
with previous years.
ain January, 1885, cattle sold for
$50; in February of the same year
for $3.50, and in March of the same year
for s5.l74 per 100 weight at the Kan
sas City stockyards, and in 1892 they
sold in the same market in January
at So, in February at $3.50, and in
March at $4.70 per 100 weight; while
in 1893 they sold in January for $500,
in February for $5.55, in March for
$50; in January, 1894, at the Kansas
City stockyards they sold at 1925; in
February, $3.50. and in March, $3.50.
/ wish now to ascertain the prices
paid at Kansas City and Chicago dur
ing January, February and March of
1895, and also the number of cattle
received at these points during this
time.
"The largest cattle receipts at
Chicago in any one day occurred, I
believe, April 25, 1892, when 32,677
head were received, and the largest
cattle receipts at Chicago in a single
week were 95,52S head received during
the seven days ending September IS,
1891. and the largest receipts Of cattle
for any single month at Chicago were
in September, 1892, when 1856, 5,466
head were received.
Be kind enough to instruct agents
OF the bureau of animal industry Of
the United States, Department of Ag-
riculture, wherever they may be
stationed, to collect and send in as
rapidly as possible all reliable data at
their command which may tend truth
fully to show what diminution, if any,
there is in the cattle supply of the
United States for the year 1895, as
compared with previous years. Also
instruct agents of the bureau OF AMI
NAL industry to make a thorough in
quiry as to whether, in their judg-
ment, there is any combination in
violation of the law by which a cattle
trust is putting up the price of beef
products while it is putting down the
per capita price of CATTLE"
Concerning the inquiry, Secretary
Morton said to a reporter OF the Asso-
ciated Press:
"The increase in the price OF cattle
has been quite remarkable, and GER
tain fluctuations seemed unaccounta-
ble. 1t would appear that the pri-
mary cause of the increased price is
that the supply is decreasing, while
the demand is constantly increasing,
and the four points, so-called-Chica-
60, Kansas City, st. Louis and Omaha
where cattle are slaughtered, are
falling off in their supply to the
market. The reduction last year was
l43.347 head of cattle, as compared
with the year before. This reduction
naturally would bring an increase OF
price to the consumer. Then, too,
corn-fed cattle are preferred, and our
supply Of corn.ied fell off enormously
the last year. This in part explains
the falling-of in the production Of
high-grade cattle. And 1t is q marked
feature of the American consumer
that he wants the very best grade OF
cattle, and the choicest parts, sirloin
and porterhouse, rather than the more
nutritive round or neck"
Mr.. Morton's inquiries as to the in
tluence of the alleged trust are, in
part, directed by current statements
as to the influence which the Big
Four have in depressing the price OF
live cattle. He says that if there
were a demand for the live cattle, the
prices would 60 up regardless OF the
combine. His inquiry, he adds, is de
signed to bring out just what inilu
ence the Big Four have on prices.
Colonel Favorite, OF the Armour
company, when asked in regard to the
statements of Secretary Morton that
an investigation would be made into
the cause of high prices of meat, said
"There is no combine. Secretary
Morton knows as VII as we do why il
it is, and so far as we are concerned
we hope that he will investigate the
matter thoroughly. He is now ship.
ping grain to the destitute farmers o
Nebraska, and their condition is about
the same as all the cattle-feeding dis
trict of the Central West. The ship.
ping has fallen off one-half from there
and glance at the stockyards statis-
tics would show that nearly 3OO,OOO
head less have been received since
January that were received last year
for these three months"
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