The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-11-13

From The Journal Bureau. Room IS, Post
Building, Washington
Washington, Nov. 13.-Dr. D. E. Salmon,
chief of the bureau of animal industry Of
the department of agriculture, thinks that
the press dispatches relating to the rapid
" diminishing supply of beef food have
overstated the actual conditions, and the
predictions of further shortage are not
we'll founded. In fact, DR.. Salmon says
that from this time on there will be an
increase in the beef supply for some years
until the limit of production is reached.
He admits, however, that just at present
there is a considerable deficiency as COM
pared with five years or even two years
ago, owing to several causes. One was
the gradual falling off in the price of
beef from the high-w water mark of ten or
twelve years ago, which caused great
many cattle raisers to go out of business
rather than conduct it at a loss. An
other was the gradual settling up of the
grazing country and the diminution in
the size of ranges as a consequence. DR..
Salmon has no figures to show just the
exact condition of this industry, but
speaks from his general knowledge of the
situation. He said to-day:
Predictions of the almost entire failure Of
the beef supply of the country within the
next few years are not well founded, in my
opinion. This bureau has gathered no sta
tistics relating to the industry in the last
two years, because the census office was
working on the same lines and has gathered
an accurate census of the number of beef
cattle ranges and small farms and will,
of course issue a bulletin showing the
changes on both during the last decade.
made inquiries at the census office last Sat
urday and found that their figures have not
been tabulated and will not be ready for
publication until some time in January.
From my general knowledge of the situ-
ation however / do not see how there can
be anything but plentiful supply of beef
for some time TO come. There will almost
certainly be an increase in the next few
years, This will be brought about by more
people going into the business of raising
beef cattle, that prices has risen. to
where profit can be made out of 1t. From
1888 to 1895 1897 there was an overprodue-
ton of cattle due to the development of the
ranges. The enormous production caused a
drop in prices to a point where cattle could
not be raised at profit except by the large
companies owning vast herds and controlling
out Of business and the production conse-
quently fell off. The population increased
in the normal ratio, however, and there was
a shortage, forcing the price up. This has
been felt in every section of the country
With prices the upgrade many persons
who were formerly in the business will now
return to 1t and there will certainly be no
alarming shortage so long as the price of
cattle is such that they can be raised at a
profit. l do not mean to say that there
Will be a return of the cheap meat era of
the early nineties, but there is no present
danger Of a meat famine.
Another factor in the situation is the ex-
port business in beef and beef products
About 900 head Of live cattle were sent
abroad last year and the carcasses of as
many more were shipped by the beef pack
ers of Chicago and other centers of the pack
ing industry. That would indicate that there
is no lack OF a supply for the home market.
for the shippers are good business men and
would not send their product abroad if they
had a sale for 1t in this country 1t must
be admitted that there is a limit to the avail
able land on which cattle may be raised.
Much Of the best range country has been cut
up into small farms, but there is still a
great area of good grazing country that is
unappropriated, and is still available for cat
tie raising. The small farmer who has
taken up this grazing will not, of course, de-
vote his farm to cattle raising but undoubt-
edly the raising of beef cattle on small farms
will be one of the developments of the in
dustry. 1t may not bring so many cattle on
the market under former conditions hut
there Will be enough to supply the demand for
some years.