Fergus County argus., 1902-04-30
AFTER THE BEEF COMBINE.

AFTER THE BEEF COMBINE.
Now that Attorney General Knox
has instituted proceedings against the
beef trust IT is to be houped they
will be prosecuted with vigor to the
end that 1t may be determined wheth-
er the trust is any degree responsible
for the present high prices. No one
will question the fact that beef has
increased In value owing to influences
In the producing localities. The only
question remains is as to whether the
combine has taken advantage OF the
situation to abnormally or arbitrarily
increase their profits beyond rea.
sonable margin. About this there
seems to be variety of opinions
among local dealers in Chicago and
other cities. Even though prices on
the hoof have advanced considerable
ii would not be difficult for the pack
ers to make an unwarranted raise to
local dealers and the latter be COM
PEELED to meet the raise by advancing
the price several cents a pound to
consumers.
OF course. the combine attributes
the increased prices to various
causes. some Of which are no doubt
true. The price of cattle on the hoof
is higher than il has been for twenty
years. The greatest advance has talk
en- place in FIVE weeks, says a promi-
nent packer. The supply has dimin-
ished lia per cent in number and 3
in weight. There has been a decrease
in the visible supply of marketable
cattle of S,OO0,OOO pounds per week.
In the meantime, the consumption de.
mand is greater than ever before.
The people of the south, for example,
have been educated in the use of fresh
meat, and whereas formerly they liv-
ed mainly upon hog and hominy.
they now have beef. The big pack
ing houses in Chicago have establish
ed branches all over the south where
formerly they had none.
The export trade, until quite late.
ly. has been larger than ever before.
The failure of the corn crop put n
good many farmers out of business
as far as cattle raising is concerned.
There are as many cattle in the coun-
try, but not so many in marketable
condition. Feeders and stockers do
not help to supply the abnormal de.
mand which exists at present. In a
word the demand has finally oyertak-
en- the supply. Cattle on their merits
as an investment are higher than ever
before and are likely to continue so
for some time. Live stock received
at the six principal markets during the
last six months has netted the farmer
from forty to fifty million dollars more
in money than last year during the
same period, and last year was high
average year. The advance in prices
has come out of the consumers. II
has made the farmers more prosper
ous.
The farmers are mentioned because
they are usually relied upon furnish
the beef at this season of the year.
very little finding its way from the
range country to the eastern markets
in the early spring, This year
they are unable to meet the demand
owing to the scarcity and high prices
for feed
1t requires in the neighborhood OF
IS bushels of corn to fatten a steer
for the market and with this cereal
from 80 TO 65 cents bushel ii can
readily be seen that a prime steer
mas cost the raiser about $40 to put
the animal in shape to sell.
No doubt prices will drop some
when range cattle begin to reach the
market. two or three months hence,
but values will continue to range high
for some years to come in all likeli.
hood owing to the great and growing
consumption, which keeps ahead OF
the supply.
However. II the beef trust has tak
en- advantage of present conditions to
practice extortion ii is to be hoped the
government will use every means In
its power to expose its methods. The
consumers should be protected as far
as possible, while the cattle raisers
will be content with the profits de-
rived through the natural laws OF
suDDly and demand