Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-18
The Agricultural Department Still
Investigating the Cause.
DR.. SALMON GIVES some FIGURES
Looks Like an Agreement Between
the Big Packers.
T H p LOG Al E F F E c T

Reports still continue to come in to the
Department of Agriculture from it's agents
in the west who are making an investiga-
ton of the causes which have led to the
recent big rise in the price of beef. They
have not been received in sufficient force
yet to justify the department in making a
final statement with reference to the mat
ter. embodying all, the facts that have been
unearthed. but the more deeply the inves-
tigation goes the more the officials of the
department are convinced that the trouble
comes from some sort of an agreement
among the big packers to keep up the price
of the commodity TO the CO L. umers, sharing
as little as possible of the profits with the
original producers, the farmers and stock
raisers.
A prominent official of the department
told Star reporter today that they were
still in the inquiring stage rather than in
the assertive stage. They are collecting
facts and figures from which to draw con-
illusions which may or may not warrant
further action on their part in the future.
The substance of the whole matter. the ex
tract of beef, so to speak. Is contained In
a brief report which the Secretary of Ag-
riculture has received from DR.. Salmon,
the chief of the bureau of animal industry.
DIR. Salmcn's Figures.
Last week Secretary Morton called upon
Dr. salmon 10 make an investigation iHto
the causes in the rise in the price of beef.
In the reply to this DIR. Salmon has pre-
scented to the Secretary Erief statement
as to the prices in the Chicago market of
dressed beef and shipping steers since jan
uary 1, 1895. This statement shows the ex-
tremes CT prices for this class OF cattle
have been for January, "a to $5.2o; Tor
February, $40 to $3.50; for March, $i.60 to
S. -; for April Qirst half, $4.15 to $6 Com
M figures.
The prices show that cattle on foot are
approaching paying figures Tor growers
ard feeders. bat they do not warrant any
such asatior al rise in the price OF dressed
beef to butchers by the great slaughtering
establishments nor an advance such as has
been reported on the part of the retail DEAL
ers in meat to consumers A normal rise
in the wholesale price of dressed beef and
in the retail prices should be only in pro-
portion to the rise indicated for beef on
foot"
The Local Effect.
In this city the price of choice cuts of
beef mas gone up about cents above the
normal, the dealers maintaining that 1t is
necessary to raise the price OF the best
cuts in a proportion greater than is done
with the poorer cuts, as there is compare
lively no profit on the latter. The whole
question 10 be determined is whether
the rise in dressed beef can be reasonably
accounted Tor by the increased Vaiue Oh
cattle on the hoof In the opinion of some
OF the experts at the Agricultural Depart
ment this is not the case. They say that
the people at the slaughter house find
they have to pay a cent or so more, so they
raise the prices above that figure to the
" holesalers, they to the retailers, and SO
on to the consumers, each one who handles
the commodity getting more than his share
of the profits. They say there is no Won
der that the farmers and stock raisers
object. The natural result of this business
is to lessen the demand for dressed beef.
Lots Of people right here in Washington
are using beef on their tables less fire.
quently than ever before, and there has
been an unusual demand for fish and other
staples which can be used as a substitute
for beef.