Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1900-08-09
will Present Cattle Prices continnes

proved stock, Col. F. NJ Woods, in
discussing the matter whether bet
ter prices will continue, says:
"The improvement in cattle is due
to two causes, an increasing popu-
lation on the one hand of beef-eat-
ers, and a decreasing meat supply
of cattle, hogs, and sheep on the
other. There are 20, 900, 900 more
beef-eaters in the United States to-
day than there were twelve years
ago, and as these days are days of
prosperity the per capita consump-
ton is rapidly increasing. With
this indisputable fact staring us in
the face, we find the number of beef
cattle in the country is smaller by
II, 900, 900 than it was twelve years
ago. Population has increased 80
per cent; cattle are being marketed
at least one year younger than for
merly, which in itself cuts down the
supply considerably.
"The first effect of an advance in
the price of beef is to cause consum-
ers to buy more pork and mutton,
but these meats, too, have greatly
advanced. There are IA, 900, 900
more hogs in the United States in
1890 than on January I, 1899, and
there were 1000, 900 more sheep
in 1883 than there are to-day. The
average price of beef cattle in 1850
was $3.50; to-day it is S27.5o.
elbow long will the present era of
high prices last? This is the para
mount question of the hour. We
must judge the future by the past;
study the past and you will find that
herds and focks and drovers' sup
plies increase very slowly when meat
finds a ready market. Producers
are tempted by immediate profit to
part with animals they would other
wise have kept for breeding purposes.
Then, too, our export trade is as
Stunning vast proportions. England
alone last year imported $500, 900,
900 worth of meat and S225, 900, 900
worth of grain products. United
States furnished IS per cent of this
supply. Of the GOO, 900 live cattle
imported by England in 1899 the
United States furnished $50, 900
head, for which she received nearly
S35, 900, 900, and 100, 900 sheep, for
which she received 500, 900.
cit is evident that the foreign de-
mand is not likely to diminish. Are
we liable to run again into an over
SUPPLY The present conditions of
the cattle trade have come about
from the reason that for long time
the cattle industry was not profit
able. 1t was then that the great
foreign and home cattle companies
went out of business, and those that
stayed in depleted their herds by
selling off their young animals, spay-
ing the heifers which under normal
conditions would have been kept for
breeding purposes. Owing to these
facts, and many others that might
be stated, 1t is safe to say that it
will require years to increase the
numbers by breeding up to the point
of supply. So, consequently, a pro-
longed period of good prices is as
sured.
" 1t was shown that there is a de-
crease in the numbers of the three
principal meat animals, and now
with our industrial activity and con-
sequent large meat consumption, it
tells the man who invests in cattle
that he may expect good returns.
america is fast becoming a
wealthy nation; why7 Because she
sells more than she buys. Germany
buys annually S25o, 900, 900 worth
more than she sells; England buys
annually twice as much as she sells;
America sells annually twice as much
as she buys, and each succeeding
year the demand upon her from 9TH
er countries for grain, meats, and
manufactured articles is getting
larger, and every dollar paid to
1luCllCdu ldDOI 1uCISdSGS the con-
sumption of meats"
The American, Japanese and Eng
fish troops seem to be acting indie
pendently of the other troops in
China and are on the way to Pekin
to relieve the foreign ambassadors,
whom the Chinese government has
refused to put in communication
with their governmets. The last
dispatch from Minister Conger stat
ed that they could hold out a week
longer. The army can reach them
inside of that time, as they are only
eighty miles away.
If the business man sees fit to daub
his note heads and envelopes with a
rubber stamp and thus lead outsid-
ers to think there is no printer in