Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-25
APPEAL TO PACKERS.
Stock Yards Paper Bess Of Packers {
Be Easy en- the Farmers.


Chicago. Nov. 25.-The Dover's Jour
packers asking them not to rob the
farmer of all his substance. 1t says:
If reason and equity are to be con-
suited by the packing interests OF this
country II is high time to call halt
upon the forces that are raiding the
markets for cattle and hogs. The prices
at which meats are selling and the
broad and generous demand for them
by the American public call for no such
clubbing OF the market as has been
in evidence here the last month. There
| is a day of reckoning, and as sure as
the forces that regulate the outlet for
fat cattle and all classes of food AMI
mails continue their present policy
which seems to be Shylock-like to de-
mand the last drop of blood in the
pound of flesh-just SO sure will they
bring down disaster and ruin upon
many in the branches of industry that
have afforded for the packing interests
the foundation upon which their bust
ness has risen to its present enormous
size and power.
Reason should be employed in all
situations. and the present situation
in the livestock trade Is one that de-
mands 1t. Some consideration should
be extended to the men who last yea
and early this year paid almost beef
cattle prices for young steers to pat
in their feed lots to fatten. At that
time there was clamoring from every
quarter that 1t was almost an imper-
alive duty of the farmers and feeders
of this country to engage in feeding
on liberal scale to avoid a repetition
of the beef famine that entailed go
much suffering on the public the year
before They responded generously and
filled their lots with young cattle III
about the highest cost known here In
many years. Many of these cattle are
coming back here now and selling at
or below their cost per hundred weight
as feeders.
THE bulk OF good beef cattle now
show the lowest range of prices that
has been seen here this year and the
lowest in over five years for this seas
on. standing about 81 below the aver
age here one year ago, with good to
choice grades $2.50Gl3.50 below high
time here little over a year ago. Best
cattle sold this week at $5.65. against
$40 year ago this week. Hogs have
been pounded down to a range stand
ing s1.S0@2.15 below last years prices,
and are now at the lowest level seen
here any time since 1899. That enor-
nous profits were being made in cut
ting these hogs at even the higher
prices that were paid here ten days
ago is generally conceded. Experts
who figure on the situation say profits
on the various classes have lately rang
ed from so cents to 50 per hog. accord
ing TO size and class. Cutting the lat
ter profit out Of a hog in one day, and
still continuing cutting the prices to
eliminate whatever small profit the
farmer-who has watched him and
cared for him constantly for
| for anywhere from ESQ to 800 days -
may have left in him, is cutting be-
yond reason. If there is good pront at
present prices. 1t Is hardly necessary 70
resume the slashing process until IL
becomes imperative again. 1t is evil
| dent there is no necessity for 1t now.
| In the case OF cattle, the men who
| had the courage and sufficient inter-
est In public welfare to take them on
| ct the high cost nine months or year
| ago should be given encouragement.
| In all cases where they were compelled
| to borrow money to engage In this feed
ing they have been In a most unenVl-
able position Banks have been crowd
! ing them on their paper. many have
been denied renewal of loans and nave
been compelled to sell their cattle In
/ condition hardly At for the market and
at prices that have entailed heavy and
unavoidable losses. The effect Of this
has already been evidenced by a gen
eral inclination OF many farmers 70
| hold out of the feeding business TINS
wear or curtail operations greatly, ana
| il is safe to say that with continual
| ton of the heartless hammering OF val
ues this inclination TO hold out o,
danger will become more general. This
| boomerang will certainly strike back
upon packing interests and be dettly
turned by them upon the public, whlch
| Will be compelled to bear another meat
famine as the penalty of the discour-
aging drubbing that the middle men
have inflicted upon the industrious
feeders, who supply the raw material.
Accident at Carroll.
Special to Times Republican.
Carroll, Nov. 25.-Yesterday after
noon while NJ. McMahan, the grocery
aaaler Of the southeast part of town.