The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-03
THE SHORT-HORN BREED
EsSTBALMED BEEF INVESTIGATION
WILL HAVE ITS BENEFITS.
Europe VIII Look for Better Amer
lean CattIe-The Industrial
Meetings.

The Indiana Short-horn Cattle Breeders
Association is holding its annual convention
in Room IL of the Statehouse The meeting
began yesterday afternoon at O'Clock, with
only a few of the members present, but the
belated ones kept coming in throughout the
afternoon and night until, when recess was
taken, it was felt that with the final session
this morning nearly all will be on hand.
All the officers We're present, however, and
President James d. Williams, of Pond
Creek Mills delivered the opening address,
which dealt largely with the purposes and
growth of the association since the last
meeting.
The principal paper delivered during the
afternoon was by Robert Mitchell, of
Princeton, on 'tOur Beef interests" Mr..
Mitchell commented on the fact that a few
years ago the bottom fell out of the short
horn market" and since that time many of
the breeders Of beef cattle have been mar
keting their beasts at either a loss or an
Improbable figure OF late however, he
said there had been a greater demand for
shorthorn cattle, from the fact that the
poor prices offered for beef cattle had set
many breeders to raising scrub cattle to
meet the demand for cheap stock. and it
had been shown to the satisfaction Of all
that the higher-priced breeds, such as short
horns. were in the end more profitable, be-
cause they could be marketed at their best
when three years old, while the Scrubs
were not at their best until about five years
old, and the expense Of feeding and hous-
ing them more than overbalanced the readi-
ness with which they sold In spite of
adverse circumstances it was Mr.. MitchelPs
opinion that the shorthorn breeders had
maintained a consistent price at all times,
and that the future seemed brighter than
at any time for years. There was, however,
one thing which caused him considerable
worry. He read an extract from an article
printed in the Journal one day last week,
in which il was stated that General A1iles's
statements during the investigation of the
beef which the Chicago packers furnished
to the army during the late war; would have
a depressing effect on the beef shipments
to foreign countries in the future and there
fore hurt the stock raisers in this country.
He pointed out that Germany and France
have been more than half hostile to Ameri-
can beef and pork products for years, and
that already the story has gone abroad
that the American beef, by the testimony of
American officials is not fit for Americas
own soldiers to eat, and the story will be
Oe4leNeu III foreign countries IN spite OF
anything that can be done to counterfeit it.
AT the close of Mr.. NIitchelFs remarks
the question was discussed. President Will
HamS called attention to the fact that if
the foreign agitation is carried on intelli-
gently and the people of Europe can be
made to understand that only the cheapest
and poorest of American beef is canned the
sentiment against American canned beef
will be distinctly beneficial to the breeders
of high-grade stock, as the demand will then
be for hrst-class beef; and if the canning
Industry IS entirely killed, the shippers to
foreign countries must supply the demand
created for canned beef with either live
superior to the canned product The other
topics discussed were: Price" by E. S.
Folsom, of Indianapolis Color" by S. r.
Quick of Brooklyn, Ind; "a Modern Short
horn" by Isaac j. Hammond, of Green
castle Ind; SHOW Yards in 1885," by w. s.
Robbins, of Horace, Ind; Retrospect and
Prospect Of Shorthorn Breeding" by W. j.
Quick of Brooklyn, Ind. The election of
officers will be held this morning before
adjournment