The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-21
THE PRICE OF BEEF.
PROSPECTS NOT BRIGHT FOR
 CHEAPER RATES.
Secretary Martina Report to Live Stock
 Association,

C. x. Martin, secretary Of the Nation
 al Live Stock Association, has for
 warded to members his report covering
 the conditions affecting the industry
 during the first six months of 1902. He
 believes the prospects particularly
 bright for the cattle and sheep raisers,
 but virtually holds out no hopes of
 cheaper beef for the consumer. His re-
 port in part follows:
 'The range cattle and sheep industry
 got it's hard knocks at both the upper
 and lower end of the country during
 certain periods of the past SIX months,
 but with the closing of the hrst hall ol
 the year, with good grass all over the
 country, the poorest being in Arlzona
 and New Mexico, those early trouoles
 are about forgotten and unparalleled
 success with profitable prices is on the
 horizon. There is nothing that can
 cloud 1t. except it may be poor corn
 crop; but that is hardly probability
 for the reports at date are extremely
 favorable for an abundance, with the
 consequence that stock cattle and
 sheep from the ranges will find a splen-
 did market this fall
 Abundant corn cannot however m-
 sure much cheaper beef than is now So-
 ing to market, from the fact that the
 industry is justified in taking adVan-
 tage of the question of supply and ae-
 mand. The results will show that there
 is not to be had for feed lots the mum
 Der of mature cattle to make heavy
 steer beeves necessary to supply the
 demand for another year at least OL
 all the heavy movement from the
 South and Southwest to the North thls
 spring, to go on pasture to prepare for
 feed lote, not one-fourth are over two
 year-olds With old cows, the sltua-
 ton is somewhat different. For several
 years the cattle raisers of the South
 have been holding on to their aged
 breeding females, thinking it more pro-
 ftable to keep them and raise calves than to send them to market. At pres ent however, there is a good supply of the younger breeding females added to
 most of the herds, and the belief IS that now is good time to dispose Of the aged stock. Thus the offerings of grass cows this fall at the markets will be liberal,
 while the winter on the ranges Of the North was mild there was but really one bad storm, that about the middle of March, which really did any damage. It was short but severe, and fortunately also only local Since then, generally speaking, the range has been improving and to such degree that the movement of cattle from the south has not had its equal in numbers for several years the movement through the Denver stock yards, for instance being greater than any season since the yards were opened. One day 2l,0oo head were in the yards. Then there is the movement north by way of the Missouri River also.
 "While market prices ruled compara- lively high during the first quarter Of the year, there was not a full measure l of realization by the shipper. The mild | winter referred to resulted in lighter l weight cattle, they weighing out 100 to 15O pounds lighter than during the same season a year ago. During the second quarter a new state of affairs sprung up. It was the beef trust l agitation. The high price of beef pre- vailing was due entirely to the short | supply of cattle caused by the drouth | of last summer, and the increased | price of corn, which prevented large | proportion of the small feeders from buying stock last year, when cattle were selling cheap, compared with the present prices. If the so-called beef | trust had an existence. either in theory or practice, they would certainly have been able to have held down the price of stock on the hoof; this they could not do. notwithstanding it would have s;a for tO have trolled the prices on the hoof than to have regulated the price of the pro duct. There has been an increased of meat on account of the times and the unprecedent- ed export demand. This, with the ad- nltted short supply and the high price of feed. naturally brought about the high prices paid for the marketable animals. The agitation, however had an affect. The packers were threatened with Congressional investigation and under the antitrust laws of certain States This had an effect m shippers and soon a marked de- crease was noticeable in receipts of xilla ble stock during the middle of the second quarter. After several weeks If agitation the sensational newspapers and the petty politicians began to ease ID on their agitation in matters per taining to our food supply, with the result that shipments are again resum- ng their normal condition and prices Ire not materially disturbed ! "The prospects for cheaper beef even ! year from now, what are they? The statement in reply is made that it de- bends entirely on the corn crop. The ' argest crop the country ever had was ! BOO, 100000 bushels. The crop last I year was estimated at 1,5OO,000000 l bushels There was approxmatel i O0 GOO. 900 bushels of old corn left, mak- l ng a total of 3, 100 900. GOO bushels in the i ountry last November. On March 1 h he total estimated amount on hand i vas 400, o00,000 bushels, and just about f nough to carry the country over to ( he new crop for it is admitted that the t upply of cattle in feed lots was never e mailer than it is now, and presdSt a rices of corn are prevntng much n xport It is the opinion of some of f he best informed that even a bumper I TOD will not send corn below 50 cents t or the next year. and this being the \ ase, it certainly looks like a high cat $ e market for the same length of W me. l. A,ontI,a,. fo cto,, iI, fo,rnY of Tho ,,,,i,, o