The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-13

these high prices Of farm commodities
are juSt to the public generally; and
the continuance Of them will set the
wheels of trade to going as they used
to go years ago when the same condl-
tons with respect to the value of farm
commodities existed. There may be
complaint from some sources that this
advance of a few cents per pound for
fresh meat is a hardship; but 1t Is not
an unmiXed evil. For the time being
the imposition of higher price upon
fresh meats may be regarded as a bur-
den; but in the aggregate 1t Is mere
trif1e in every household, and the con-
tinuance Of these higher prices will
result beneficially to all classes. II
our grain crop this year shall prove to
be good one, and our farmers are
wise enough to continue to diversity
the foundations for their products, as
they have been doing within the past
few years, and to the extent OF rails
ing a reasonable proportion of live
stock along with their crops Of cereals
we will see, as a result, the best times
commercially that this state has ever
seen. Now, for instance, today the
price Of hogs here at South st. Paul
advanced zoe per hundred, following
the Chicago market. This means a
good deal to the farmer. There is a
great danger, in my mind, in connec-
ton with the present high price Of
wheat that many farmers will be in
duced to crop to this cereal more
largely, to the neglect of the live stock
development This will be mistake.
The farmers of Minnesota should, while
cultivating wheat and other cereals to
a certain degree, keep their attention
fixed upon the breeding, raising and
feeding of cattle, sheep and hogs"
J. S. Bangs, manager for Swift IL
at
of the advance in the price of fresh
meats: "It seems to me ony natural,
at this season Of the year, particularly,
The stock now being brought into our
market is of the very best quality.
These animals are corn-fed, as against
the grass fattened stock which is re-
ceived In the fall from the Western
plains. These winter corn-fed animals
afford the only source of supply and
they command god price. Where an
advance occurs in the price of cattle,
there must necessarily follow an ad-
vance in the price of dressed meats.
There is only about rs Per cent Of the
carcass of a bullock or steer, for in
stance, which consists of what are
known as the best cuts. The remain der
represents different sections of cheaper
grades. 1t Is somewhat of problem
for any one to comprehend why, if an
animal is sod for slaughter at, say
?f.OO ~ St.fO per HuuuTGu, the dressed
meat should command Is cents per
pound; but the retail dealer buys the
entire carcass at a certain price, and
he sells the best at the highest prices,
and graduates the values down to the
cheapest and least desirable: but as
L say it should always be remember
ed that the highest prices asked repre-
sent only about Is per cent Of the en-
tire carcass, and his profit must be
made up from the whole. The scarcity
Of cattle undoubtedly has much to do
with the prevailing high prices and the
demand Is such that no one can say
that the figures are not legitimate. If
we are obliged to pay more for the live
stock, we must necessarily scale our
prices for dressed meats accordingly.
But after all it gives an indication of
prosperous conditions generally, and
while to some it may seem a leadership
to pay little more per pound for
choice cuts than formerly, the money
goes back to the farmer, the breeder or
the feeder Of the stock. Those who kill
and dress the meats for market do not
get any larger profits than if they
bought and sold at a lower range of
prices. We buy in the market every
day, pay the prices demanded and fix
our prices for ressed meats accord
ingly. That Is all there Is to it,