The independent., 1903-10-15

Nebraska Stock Growers

BOOu SIOuuuo uoW lOt ouppoi tih5
Judge Sullivan on account of low
prices. The Independent does not
urge any such reason In behalf of
Judge Sullivan, because he deserves
election on higher grounds-but mere
II mentions the fact.
The following, quoted from the Lin
coin Evening News, republican pa
per, will give some idea of the loss
sustained by Nebraska hog raisers, due
to the manipulations of the railroads
and packers:
SLUMP IN HOG MARKET
HITS NEBRASKA HARD
Millions Lost to r Users of Pork by
Big Drop of Past Week Caused by
Manipulation of Packers
These are trying times for the Ne
braska farmer engaged in the raising
OF hogs for the market, for the slump
in prices during the past week have
cost the hog raisers of this state some
thing like $4,000,000. That is if the
price of hogs is based upon the Chi
cago market. Since last Monday
morning the prices paid for hogs in
Chicago have dropped from 70 to 80
cents on heavy hogs to one dollar on
the lighter quality.
The report Of the state labor bureau
gives the 1903 crop of Nebraska hogs
at 1,4S2.764. Taking the average
weight at 800 pounds and the average
decline in the Chicago price at 80
cents per hundred, it would give net
loss to the farmers of Nebraska Of a
little over $4,000,00O
The market reports from South
Omaha do not Indicate so sharp a de-
cline. There has been falling off of
but about SO cents per hundred in that
market during the week, which would
mean a loss of about $3.50 on each
hog, or about $2,2Go,O0O on the total
Nebraska crop.
Comparisons with the prices prevail
ing at the South Omaha market one
and two years ago must be truly ap-
| palling to the hog raisers of the state,
The average price paid at South Oma-
ha yesterday was $5.19, which lacked
but cents Of being 81 less than the
average for a year ago on the cOrre-
spending date, which would mean a
loss on the hog holdings of the state
OF approximately $S,7O0,OOO, or nearly
| $6 per head.
| The statistics of the labor bureau
show that there were in the state two
years ago, 1,451,777 hogs. which fell to
1,303,386 year ago and increased to
| 1,482,7 this year. Taking 800 pounds
as the average hog, the crop of 1892,
with approximately 10000 less hogs
| in sight. was at the price prevailing
that year, worth nearly $5,000,000 more
| than this years crop at the figures now
being paid.
Two causes are assigned for the pre-
vailing depression. Probably the most
important is that the high prices which
logs have brought during the past
two years has started every one to
raising them. The other is the lard
and rib corner operated recently by
one of the big packing concerns.
Local market men declare that the
depression in live pork prices has not
been reflected for some time past in
the prices paid by them for wholesale
meat supplies and that the consumers
are not therefore getting any benefits
from lower prices. 1t would appear
as if the packers are playing whip
saw game, which is working greatly to
| the disadvantage of the producer
while it affords no benefits to the con-
| sumner.
One prominent Lincoln market man
Is authority for the statement that
retail dealers are becoming extremely
and heartily tired of the flurries fre.
auently created by the efforts of the
big packing establishments to corner
the markets on certain commodities
Some time ago one of them attempted
to work lard corner, but fell short
in the attempt, except that for months
retailers dependent upon the concern
for supplies were unable to get q
pound of lard from it, as it was under
the necessity of sending every pound
t. Chicago to fill the hole it had there
created by it's attempted corner.
|