Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-15

change In New York In 1859 we had no
uniformity in the grades OF cotton.
Each state had Its own peculiar way
OF grading cotton. and there was no
way of telling what cotton was really
selling at, because We could not Keep
the run OF so many different customs
When the exchange was organiEeu' "
| drew together all the merchants and
| dealers in cotton and they soon agreed
| upon uniform standard OF grades,
| the market value Of which wns 20 DC
| telegraphed to all points every az
| and the result Il we have a series OF
standard grades now watch all me
| cotton states recognize and trade unner
| and there Is no telling what changes
! may be made in our own customs.
This will come through the combln-
| ei wisdom OF our business representa-
| tises when they get together You
may depend upon IL however unat
| great improvements Will be made In our
| present ways OF dealing You VIII
| know when "ycarlings" are selling for
| Sl2 per head for instance when some
| fellow Is coaNing you to sen MIN yours
tn ~ will devise some way OF selling
cattle by grade the same way as Is
done In cotton. coffee and wheat.
But this is n matter Of secondary
| Importance. What we want to know,
first, is; Is the supply Of cattle tco
there Is no likelihood OF the supply De,
Ing reduced very soon, | for one VIII
sell out and engage In some other ousl-
ness. know there are plenty OF you
who would be glad to do the same
| thing and the supply VIII soon ADJUST
| Itself to the demand, our product 10
| not like cotton or wheat, SUBJECT TO
| great and sudden spurts OF production
according to the seasons; Il Is more In
! the order OF manufacturing, and am
quite sure the producers OF cattle VIII
find a way TO reduce the supply when
ever they learn that they are produce
Ing too many.
As some of you are aware this sys-
tenn of bureau of information and
statistics concerning live stock was re-
commended by the Interstate conven-
ton of cattlemen that was held IN
! Fort Worth in March, 1890 and com
msttee was appointed by the con-
| tlon memorabilia congress with ref
erenoe to having the same introduced.
/ had the honor Of being made chair
man Of that committee, and the fact Of
not having completed our work after
so long Il time might operate TO preju-
dice your minds ne to the feasibility OF
the plan 1 would state that Senator
George Vest Of Missouri introduced
bill In the senate December 6. 1892, In
accordance with the wishes OF the
| convention and II was referred to and
recommended by the select committee
on the transportation and sale OF meat
products. Since that time there have
been several sessions II congress. but
you all know there has been but little
I inclination to take up any new mat
tors. particularly when money appro-
prinil0ns were involved.
The fact is. Mr. Vest wrote as follows
In December 1898:
Some tine ago | scnt Secretary Nor
ton Of the agricultural department
II copy OF my bill establishing a bureau
OF information as to live stock, and
called upon him in person in regard to
the matter.
"He promised me that he wound look
over the bill and give me his opinion
in regard TO II At an carly date. l am
/ sorry to say that this If the last /
have heard from him on the subject.
"Of course the silver question en-
crossed the extra session OF congr tss,
and we are now entering upon a long
and uncertain tariff fight which Will
engross the time Of congress- for some
months.
In addition to this there is n deficit
OF some S60,0l0. 0np In the treasury, and
OF course the party In power ts COM
PEELED to retrencn and economic in
every way possible II IL not propi-
tlous time for establishing n new bur-
eau and creating new Offices"
There has never been dissenting
opinion as to the adv'sablllty Of the
plan, and 1t was submitted to the chief
executive OF thirty OF our states he
fore submitting 1t to congress. l hard
ly think 1t necessary to consume your
time by reading these. but I will take
the liberty OF reading a letter from
Senator Richard Coke whose opinion
as well as that Of Senator Vest l value
above all others, as both OF these gen
tlemen We're appointed by the SENATE
on the committee that Investigated into
the troubles Of the cattle business in
. 1890, and are perhaps better qualified to
express an opinion than many whC
have not had such experience. Senator
Coke says:
~ bureau OF information and
statistics In each OF the cat.
i tie raising and cattle feedina
stntos cannot fail In my opinion. to be
r productive of the most beneficial re-
suits. such bureau, well conducted
, IN each one OF the cattle raising states
with general headquarters where the
! Information from all Is concentrated
; and again distributed back, together
3 with information from the markets ol
, the country. to all the cattle raisers
; VIII give the information necessary tc
intelligent Judgment, to all OF the stocl
= ralsers in al Of the cattle raising states
/ Upon this information. action By in
, dlviduals who own cattle may be based
r and many OF the errors into which they
, now fail for want OF the Information
may be avoided. regard this coop
: eratlve acton of the cattle raisers Of
= tNe bnlteu states IN oenhlt OF their owl
G interests, as an admirable beglnnins
/ OF a plan which eventually will wori
9 out the best interests OF ALL"
e have employed my best EFFORTS, gen
e tlemen, to carry out the work allotted
1 to me by the Interstate convention o
r catt.emen ana | believe II viii assis
matters materially with the congress.
Q now In session, II you will take som,
g steps towards h1vipg this bill acted up
y on. l believe with a little more pusl
We will get the necessary appropra
= tlon from congress to have them estab
, llshed, and fully concur in the opin
e ion Of Senator Coke that at will be thu
beginning OF plan which VIII work GU
s the best interests OF all"