The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-15
THE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION AS
SEMBLED IN FORT WORTH
YESTERDAY.
PRESIDENT THONPSOA'S ADDRESS
1t Calls for Action to Counterfeit the
Effects of Unjust Foreign Discrimi-
nation Against American Beef.
Election of Officers.


"Fellow Members-I welcome you to
the seventh annual convention of the
National Livestock Exchange and con-
graduate you on your good fortune in
being assembled in one of the garden
spots of this great commonwealth,
whose people are justly noted for their
geniality and unbounded hospitality, and
unmistakable evidences of which are
seen and felt on every hand. You are
assembled for the purpose of disposing of
the routine work of the convention, de-
liberating on the important questions
that will be brought before you, and dis
posing of the same in manner best cal
culated to subserve the interests of the
entire fraternity of producers and con-
sumers throughout the length and
ing in mind that your deliberations
should not be actuated by any selfish
motives, but by that noble principle of
working the greatest good to the great
est number.
up to within a few years the pro-
Queer of this country was successful and
prosperous, he entertained no fear of
competition from foreign lands, he prac-
tically had the markets of the world
opened to him for the disposition of his
vast supplies and at satisfactory prices
These conditions becoming apparent to
foreign consumers, they set about to dis
cover, if possible, some country whose
products and surplus could be used in
competition with ours. Canada opened
new fields for the production of wheat
and other cereals. South Africa and
other heretofore undevelopcd countries
began the raising of wheat and other
grains, the producers of New Zealand,
Australia, South America and other
countries were soon induced to venture
in the then undetermined and questiona-
bic experiment of finding a market for
their surplus beef and mutton and to
such an extent We're these enterprises
carried that the receipts of these imports
ut the different foreign markets in con-
nection with those sent by us became
so great as to cause the prices for the
same to decline to a point where the Eu-
ropean producers began to appeal for
legislation to protect their home indus
try from ruin. In many sections such
prohibtive legislation was secured, and
our country, being the largest producing
country, was the greatest sufferer in con-
sequence. 1t occurs to me that the
question as to whether this legislation
is just is not for us to especially con-
slider, but it behooves us to satisfy, nay
convince, our European producers and
consumers that our livestock and meat
food products are the healthest and
best in the world, and that
when any distinction is made
it should be in favor of our
products. The unsOundness of our meat
and meat food products have been the al
legged cause for some of the inimicable
legislation enacted. We know the reason
to be without foundation in fact, and
would heartily welcome representatives
of any and all foreign countries to our
ranches, our feed lots our stock yards,
and our abattoir, where our meat food
products are prepared for consumption.
and after being prepared and critically
inspected, examined, and found healthy,
to be sealed and so ratified by such rep
resentatives We court the most careful
scrutiny and critical scientific eXamina-
ton of the health of our live stock and
meat food products. Can we do more i'll
this line? This is a question that merits
your serious consideration. These meas
ures, together with such needed legisla-
ton by our congress looking to recipro-
cal exchange of our commodities, should
be one of the great aims of this cOnven-
ton. Reciprocity would open for our
surplus the foreign gateways of COM
merce that are now closed to us, and
then the resultant, beneficial effect would
soon be felt in every channel OF com
merce throughout the length and breadth
of this great land. Since its incention,
this organization has in all its proceed
ings acted as strictly non-partlsan
legislative body, welding its influence
without the hope of fee or reward in
the interests of it's constituents, the pro-
Queer and the consumer. Let us not lose
sight of this object, and let us in our de-
alterations in this convention, bring to
bear our best efforts with this end in
view. Let all cur acts be such as are
best calculated to encourage, foster and
protect our home industries, thereby
maintaining our supremacy, as the great
est producing nation of the world. ana at
the same time let us discard duty IN
cumbent upon us by bending all our
thoughts. acts and energies to the open
ing of the markets of the world to our
constituency. Were | to attempt to de-
tail what has been accomplished in TINS
line in the past year, L would be Tore
stalling the report of your executive COM
mttee, which viii show in detail how
well your officers have discharged thelr
stewardship. But there is one feature l
specially desire to call your attention III
the report, which shows the lively inter
est manifested by foreign powers IN tne
representatives have waited upon us for
information, have extended numerous Is
courtesies, and in many ways sought an
interchange of views, with the ald OF
bringing about those more intimate com
mercial relations. which are so essential II
ly necessary to the successful conduct OF
the business of our constituency, there
by showing their interest IN our proceed
ings, and a recognition of our exchange
as the exponent of the live stock trade
in all its branches from the producer to
the consumer throughout the United
States.
''To those of our friends interested
in the sheep ,roI INDUSTRY rsscomme NOUN in
order to successfully compete IN forelgn
with the sheep raisers OF o1her
countries. that less attention be- be pa nno1 70
wool raising and more, to food ,9qn aa;l,,
ties. 1t is not particularly questlo1
of fat and weight, but of weight ana
flesh. which latter l believe, can IN
great measure be accomplished by breed
ing. We have a good example set us
which we may well initiate. That OF tne
EnpliSb cboon raiser who, through