Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-15
A Large md Representative conyen.
tion Is Certai
SOME MATTERS TO De DISCUSSED
mn Asking Congress to Crost~ = Bureau
Of Lis.sincs Unconditional er-
tnont sIem ,riui.

IN the city al the opening OF the convrn-
| lion. and this viii DO sweiled 100 by be-
lated arrivals.
! Among other matters which will come
before the convention for consideration ~
| tho establishment OF National bureau
| OF Information for live stock interests
which Is fully set forth In memorial
presented TO congress by the interstate
convention OF cattlemen, held In Fort
Worth In 1900 and q bill introduced In the
senate by Mr.. Vest OF Missouri.
Mr.. w. l.. Black viii push this matter
before the convention.
Tho memorial Is aa followui
To tho Honorable tho Senate and House
OF Representatives Of the United States;
Tho undersigned committee, appointed
| by an Interstate convention Of catllemen
| held In the city OF Fort Worth. Texas
| on the 18th, i2th and 18th days Of March,
1900. Mt which eleven States and TORT
| tories were duly represented by dele
| gates appointed by the governors OF the
came, would respectfully represent to your
honorable body:
f'irst-It wRs the united opinion Of the
said convention that the chief cause for
depression IN our live stock Industry Is
due almost entirely to the indlscrimiDate
| way In which shipments urc mndo by
| producers, and dealers OF the Interior TO
tho four prominent markets Of tho West.
viz; Chicago. 81. I,oula, Omaha aud Kan
sas City.
second,--Thai theso four markets hre 30
| elorcly related 10 each other by the In
tercst Of four leading meat packers, who
| now control tho nlaughtering huelreas In
our Western country as 10 make them
| all practically ono and tho same.
| Third.-That there are no loss than
| twnety-onn States directly inisrsstcd IN
| nhirping 1.-Two stock TO one or moro of the
markets reforred to. and owiug 20 the
| vast number Of producers eugagod In the
Industry, and the widely extsuded terri
! tory over which they IRE distributed, Il
| II Ia a matter OF lmpossihllity for them to
avoid gluttng tho markets from time to
time, which AFFORDS the Packing and Re-
| frigerntor associations the advantage OF
buylng nj prices much below the cost OF
! production.
Fourth.--it has been learned that these
four large rlnughterinR concerns have n
private Arrangement OF their own. through
| which they can tel very closely the prob
able number and time that 1.-Two stock
| Will ba marketed by producers and feed
ers; and that they make a practice of
holding large numbers OF cattle, sheep
nnd hogs In tho interior for the express
purpose and Intention OF forcing them
Into tho market from time to time. and
thus create glut 70 as TO enable them TO
control prices and In addition TO this.
they own md control an unlimited number
OF cars OF their own, which makes them
entirely lndepondent OF any scarcity In
rallroad transportation ut any and NIL
tines
Flflh.--rhat National legislation Is re-
quircd to inform the ehipporl OF live stock
as to the daily shipmcnts from nil Of tho
twcnty-ono States referred 10, MS Il 10 utter
" impossible 10 carry ON the live stock In
duatry with any degree OF anfcty, unloss
there Is some uniform system employed
by each or the States that will indicate
tho number OF cattle, sheep and hogu that
In transit Ia nlmslpll IuuFhlRla
day to day
Tho Interstate convention Of cat!lcmen,
which we have the honor to repr0Gent
were unanimous In the opinion that n
bureau of Information ana Statistics In live
stock, under tho direction md control OF
the department OF agriculture. wood DC
tho most practical way that this 'niormn-
tion could be obtained. and the following
IL n report OF the convention upon tia,
question;
/. Tint In our Judgment It In very es-
Hontlnl TO have a correct record OF the
available supply and probable demand Of
live stock according to ages and sex In
order TO form nm Intelligent opinion MS
to tho value or the same.
? Our 1.-Two stock industry In 70 extended
that the accumulated shipments from all
Tho producing States and Territories rem
ders II impossible for shipper to tell
what number Of 1.-Two stock are being moved
and being prepared for shipment TO the
prominent markets OF our country from
day 20 dry; aud we believe by system
~ telcgmphic and mail information he
quantity OF live ntock shipped and bclnr
prepared from each State daily can be
ascortainod, and would 10 OF great n5-
slstnnco 10 the shipper In avoiding
Iiuttcd markets.
g. BY the cooperation OF State bureaus
the Information above referred 10 relat'
ing 10 tho available supply and tho daily
shipments Of 1.-Two stock md cattle being
rroparod. can be easily arrived AZ.
We therefore believe tho establishing ot
such State bureaus for information and
statistics would be OF lncAlculnble hnneill
TO the producers " live stock IN the Quilted
States. but nro doubtful N united action
on the part OF each State can DO hal. and
un,efs nll unite on u uniform syst1m there
would be no practical good result.
We therefore recommend that this con.
veniion memoriallze congress TO npprplri-
ate sufficient money 10 Introduce this I'M
provement. In conducting the live stock
business Of our country. under tho aus.
pieces OF tho department Of agriculture.
We think such an appropriation on tho
part OF our government IB dua 10 tho live
stock Industry. which has been developed
In tho past twenty years over fuoh q
vast extent Of territory ns TO make II
almost Impossible to get united action
on tho part OF individuals Interested. rnd
II would seem TO us quite as conslstont
on the part OF congress. TO aid In har
monizlnY md advancing the interests Of
this great Industry. In which nearly one
half the population of the United State.
depAids for support, M II IN to mnintaif
n weather bureau or other similar agen
cics.
The necessity FOR some Improved Tnethot
NJ Informing shippers In tho interior o
the quantity OF live stock IN. and In tran
cit to tho four prominent stock yard
of the West. which In fact now handle
and receive tho entire product of oul
Western States. In no very clear, that I
REQUIRES very little argument TO prove It.
These yards are all limited AZ to cnpac
ity and n q larger number OF stock u
ehlppod 20 either one thnn can be &C
commodnted. II In quite plain the stocl
on hand must DO sold ut a sacrince In or
der 10 make room for new arrivals. Thh
fact was most forciby. as well az mos
seriously illustrated In ChIcngo only
short time ago.
on tho 2blh OF April the stock pens o
that market, which are only suppossd Y
bold from 10000 10 1900 head. were nun
or nearly 10. when u was announced ina
rece,nia OF cattle from dlTere-' ,hlpplni
points were a2.GT7 head. 10 say NOTHING. o.
. other CHASER OF stock. Immediate actor
had to no taken, and the result was th'
ontlre lot were disposed OF 70 tho few
, meat packers OF that market. AZ snci
t. prices ms they were willing 20 pay. nns
!, | IL Is estimated that the loss ettaued tlroi
| tho unfortunate owners OF tho stock 81
| sacrttiocA was no Icas than 800, 0oj, from