The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-09


pounds of fresh beef. 100 pounds of
capita
There are in the United States o.
500, 900 head of cattle, 6. SIC. 600 hogs and
g., COS. 900 sheep. according to the live
stock census taken by the government
in 1900 For this enormous herd of 1872
| O0O0 900 live stock the United States has
a population by the same census of rs
100000 people. That gives the country
more than two and one-half animals
for every man, woman and child Of its
population. That means roughly 50(
pounds. Of fresh beef, 100 pounds OF
fresh pork and 50 pounds Of fresh NUT
ton-63 pounds of fresh meat-per head
of population. This estimate does not
| take into consideration the extra food
from the by-products of these animals
lungs, liver. sweetbreads, hearts kidneys
which will equal another IS pounds
Of fresh food per head Of the people.
Thus. If all of the stock of this country
were killed. there would be nearly zoe
pounds OF flesh per capita
During the FrancolPrussian war
Mege Mouris. forced by the conditions
existing il Paris. ascertained that the
oil extracted from beef suet was very
good as substitute for butter, and cleo
margarine was given TO the world. This
product is chemically butter fat but
does not contain as large percentages
of butyric and other volatile acids which
give rancidity to butter. To the lumber
man. the miner, the sailor, is given a
reliable supply of butter food.
interests of the country, as voiced b.
congressional action, has, for the time
being, possibly injured the oleomarga-
rine business, but it is nevertheless an
article of merit. 1t seems impossible to
belive that the laboring portion of the
country is to be deprived of a health
full and cheap article of food at the in
stignation of the manufacturers of a
competing article, simply because of its
competition. The internal revenue laws,
controlling the sale of oleomargarine be-
fore the passage of the Grout bill, pro-
tected the consumer. in tat it required
the original packages of oleomargarine
ito be branded and a stamp tax Of two
cents a pound to be attached TO each
package All this was under the con-
troll OF the internal revenue department
the same as the manufacture of cigars
and other taxable commodities. There
was no possibility of the manufacturer
selling 'oleo' as butter without mourning
very great risks and penalties and its
safe to say that no manufacturer at
tempted it.
The population of the cattle produc-
ing states of the Mississippi Valley and
the west has increased very materially
in the last ten years. There has been no
proportionate increase in the number of
cattle produced and in some sections
an actual decrease. Increased popula-
ton in the cattle producing SECTIONS
means more home demand for meats.
This, with inadequate increase in the
number of breeding cattle and with
decided increase in the demand from
the east and from Europe coupled with
the high price prevailing for corn, has
been steadily forcing up the price Of
good beef for years While the market
for native cattle has been exceptionally
high the last few months on account of
the high price for corn, there will be
probably some reaction when cheaper
feed is obtainable. Yet il is but natural
to expect that the price of beef will con-
tinue until more cattle are bred and ma
ttred- 1t would look as if the stock feed
ing business had prosperous days ahead
OF it for some time.
The business of packing meatss and its
industries are among the very largest
and most important indutries in the
world and 1t is safe TO say that in no
other country is there so much hard
work done, so much mahinery put in
motion, so much risk taken on account
of the perishable nature of the goods
handled or so much capital used, where
the percentage of profit is so moderate.
Compare the profits derived from the
meat business with those made by the
other large industries of the country
and one is forced to admit that il has been
conducted upon a comparatively small
margin, and that it has increased
steadily TO its present enormous tonnage
simply from the fact that il has afforded
cheap food to the consuming public all
over the world The policy OF the bust
ness has been small profits, quick re-
turns, heavy tonnage. Notwithstanding
all contrary statements. the profits are
small considering the magnitude Of the
business and tasks involved. It is on
account of low prices compared with the
cost Of raw material and consequent
small profits that old time high-priced
has suffered and the bust
ness has developed to its present mag
nitude.