Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-23
SOME BEEF FACTS.

The National Provisloner Of the DIN
and 10Th of this month prints state
ments on THE Real Meat Facts IN
reply to attacks made on the so-caiied
beef trust" by number OF papers OF
the country. The sum and substance OF
the answer is that there Is no such
thing as a "beef trust" except in the
Imagination OF the editors Of yellow
Journalist" that the causes OF the rise III
meats are the short corn crop, ana the
increased demand for beef. owing to the
prosperous times. "The people Of the
Uilited States" the statement says
are eating more beef now than they
ever did before In their history. THIS
Is because they are making money and
spending t. There are not many fam
lilies in this country that do not have
their steaks and roasts and boiling
pieces. The American people are by
long odds the best fed people In the
world" The packers, We are told, ac-
tually lost from IS to 80 per cent per
100 lbs. during the first three months
Of this year. but they had to stand the
loss, because they must keep the ma
chinery running SO as to keep II from
rustlng and getting out OF order
There are some figures in the state
ment Of the National PrOyisloner, which
may be OF interest. as showing the enor-
nous proportions Of the beef business
Of this country. There are killed every
year about II 100000 cattle including
calves. About 100000 OF these are
killed at the so odd official or inspected
abattoirs, while about 100000 are
killed at the other 900 unofficial ahat-
toirs and by farmers and small slaught-
erers all over the country The whole
of the cattle and calves, as well as the
hogs and sheep slaughtered by the five
packers In question. are killed at the
inspected abattors and are
among the 100000 head given out by
the secretary Of agriculture as our off,
cial slaughter, one big firm Is
said to have a business amount
Ing 10 5000. 100000 annually
another sS5,OOOOoo; another $780,
100 1000; another ssoOoO.oOO and SO on.
Business houses representing such
lgures are powerful. whether they COM
line or not Still they certainly depend
IN the demand for the products they
,ffer They cannot compel the public
o buy The people sill have the pow
r TO regulate the price, 10y limiting
consumption.
The subject is being discussed very
by the press, and 1t is
lalmed that in Philadelphia, for in
tance there has already been a mark
d decline In the consumption, so much
o that a prominent dealer predicts a
eturn to normal prices there, before I
Dng, The New York Sun recalls the
act that in 1882 the price OF beef went
- to Is cents Then many families
Eliminated meat from the bill Of fare, q
nd in two weeks the price dropped
ents, and remained at that figure for
long time.
The New York World also discusses 1
he matter 1t reminds the public of I
MS plank in the Republican platform
{ 1900:
I'VE condemn all conspiracles and !
ordinations intended 10 restrict bus- II
ess, 10 create monopolies, 20 limit j u
reduction or 10 control prices, and
lv0r such legislation AZ win effective
restrain and prevent all such abuses, d
rotect and promote competition, and | n
cure the rights of producers, labor !,
y and AL who are engaged In industry "
nd commerce"