Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-04-22
rhaows DOWN oAUhTLET.
j. j. Ryan Writes Letter 70 Chicago
stock Taede.

j. j. Ryan Writes Letter 70 Chicago
stock fasds.
Fort Dodge, April 2l.--Members Of
the Corn Belt Meat Producers Assoc
citation OF Iowa and stock men In gen
eral will be interested in . letter just
sent to the Union Stock Yards and
Transportation company OF Chicago.
by Secretary J.. J. Ryan Of this city.
In which he throws down the gaunt-
let to this company in the matter OF
excessive charges to stock men. Fol.
lowing the meeting OF COMMITTEES
from the association and the managers
of the Iowa railroads. Mr.. Ryan com
cluded that their next grievance lay
In the direction Of the stock yards
in Chicago. The letter reads, IN part,
as follows:
ut is the purpose of the meat pro-
ducers of the corn belt to avoid, II
possible, the heavy loss from shrink
age and over.charges eminating from
the conditions which now surround
the market in Chicago. We can snlp
to the western markets without this
additional shrinkage or the payment
of terminal charge, and while these
markets are not as good for shipping
and export cattle as the Chicago mar.
ket, they are practically as good io1
dressed beef stock, and it makes Ut
tie difference to the Iowa 1eedeI
whether he feeds for dressed peer
trade or for the export and shipping
trade, as by an agreement among the
feeders they can change the grade Q!
their cattle In six months
1--WE realize that the natural mar
ket for the majority of the best corn
fed steers is east, but every Iowa
feeder lost from $40 to 325 per head
on the cattle he fed during the feed.
ing season of 1902 and 1903. He was
told that the loss was due to the prizes
he had paid for his feeding stock
Il presume you are aware that the
freight on dressed beef from the west
is only 1 trifis more than half what
IL Is on live cattle Before We will
much longer stand these injustices
we will slaughter our live stock at
home; avoid all Of these charges, and
this UNDESIRABLE shrinkage. take the
advantage OF this cheap dressed beef
rate and put our raw material on the
market as q finished product and
ready for the consumer believe it
is a vital question for the owners of
the once reliable stock yards OF Chi
cago to consider. I believe that y
would be wisdom on their part TO Join
with the stock men Of the west IN
making conditions better. 1t VIII
hardly do to turn deaf ear to their
demands. The cattle men are not
obliged to put up with these condi'
tions, Their business in the past has
been that of furnishing the raw ma.
terfal to be manufactured at your
yards after paying q reasonable com
mission for handling it. They are viii.
ing to continue this, 1t it continues
to be a matter Of live and let live,
but they cannot and will not longer
put up with present conditions. IL
will not do to say to them that there
is an oversupply Of beef cattle, Tor
the reason that it has not been shown
that any of the products of'Our live
stock have been wanted or placed be-
fore the consumer at an unreason'
ably low price"
The association has under consider.
alton plans for yards OF their own IN
Chicago in case present grievances
cannot be adjusted to a condition
where the shipper can market his
stock without the losses that now at
tend such a transaction.
These stock yard people have been
making q big lot Of money at the ex.
pense Of the shipper" said Mr.. Ryan
| in speaking of this letter, "and the
stock men of Iowa have grown tired
of being trimmed all along the line.
After we have settled with the stock
wards people we intend to take up 4
few matters with the commission