, 1902-11-13
STOCKCEMSUS|M0 5
AMENDMENT TO BE PUSHED At
THE COMING SESSION
OF CONGRESS.
Every Year Demonstrates the Need Of
Live Stock Statistics That Can be
Depended Upon-Step to Secure
Bureau of Live Stock Statistics in
Department Of Agriculture.

Denver. Colo. Nov. 13.-The follow
ing statement has been prepared and
sent out by Secretary Charles +. Mar
tin of the National Live Stock associa
ton. with request for its publication
Ever since its organization. the Ma
tional Live Stock association has been
working hard to secure the adoption
OF some law providing for gathering
vital statistics on the live stock in
dustry in the United States. While
the improvement in the last census has
been the only tangible result seen by
the public, yet considerable progress
has been made towards the end aimed
at. The establishment OF the census
Office as a regular department of the
government was the first step, and this
was warmly backed by the association.
The next step is to secure a bureau of
live stock statistics in that depart
ment.
At the request of the association,
Congressman Hopkins, chairman of
the house census committee, intro
duced an amendment to the ensus
act, providing for "A classified enum-
Grafton and value of live stock" which
shall be made under such rules and
regulations as the director of the de-
partment may deem best. This was
introduced so late that it was impossi-
bic to secure a report on the amend
nient at last session, but it will be Wig
orously pushed during the coming ses-
sion. The measure has the endorse
ment of the department of agriculture
as well as the census department., and
there is strong hope that it will be
possible to start the bureau in time
for another general census in 1905.
There can be no question of the ne
cessity of reliable statistics regarding
live stock in this country. Next to the
bread supply, the meat supply of the
country is of most Importance, and ev-
cry year demonstrates the need of sta
tistics that a be depended upon. The
census Of 1900 was good as far as it
went. but with no figures with which
to compare, that census is practically
useless until another is taken.
To ecure a reliable basis Upon which
a bureau of statistics could work. there
should be three complete census made
of the live stock in consecutive years
and after that every five years. II TINS
was done, a bureau could very easily
keep close estimate of the changes tax.
ing place and such estimates would be
of the greatest value to trade and com
merce as well as to the farmers and
stock raisers. For instance. this sea,
son there has been a wholesale slaugn.
ter of female cattle, and IN addition
thousands of heifers have beer spcyed
1t is possible that this very act may
result in a scarcity of breeding cattle
shortly.
At present almost nothing is known
in regard to the supply and demand
for meat cattle. The country might
be on the verge of a shortage which
would send meat prices far beyond the
top figures of this year, and no one
could say such a shortage exists until
it was actually here. The markets are
completely controlled by the visible
supply actually on the market from
day to day, and farmers may be selling
their stock at panic prices when the
actual conditions do not justify those
prices.
II the government finds it profitable
to- collect statistics on the grain crops
Of the country, cotton and manufac'
lures. there can be no valid or logical
argument against collecting statistics
on the meat supply. One is as import
ant as the other and statistics are full
~ as necessary for the proper conduct
OF trade and commerce.
More than eight million farmers and
stock raisers are interested in this
measure. They represent 5000. 900,
900 of invested capital, and besides be
ing a protection to the producer and
consumer against the Spectator. a
law of this kind is due this great army
of agriculturists and should be enacted