The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-04-14

after visit to California, and
when asked for hls opinion of the
Investigations being set on foot
by the Federal government in All
effort to smoke out the beef trust,
said: These agitations have had
the effect of cutting off the con-
sumption of beef TO some extent,
and we must expect some such
results this time other than that
] anticipate that very little will
result. The affairs of Chicago
packers here and at other points
are being conducted by straight
forward business methods. and
beef il being sold to the trade at
prices that have been reduced rel
atively with the reduced price of
cattle | am interested IN both
the production of cattle and beef,
and my observations are from
both sides Of the situation" Per-
haps Mr.. Morris has forgotten the
ease with which the state of Mis-
souri, collected evidence enough
to convict the beef trust and com
pei its members to pay u fine of
So 900 each. Ills idea that moth
ing will come of the Investigation
now being conducted by the Fed
eral government along the same
lines may be predicted upon some
guaranteed immunity from pun
ishment given to all trusts, but
the producing element of the
country are fondly indulging in
the hope that the Investigation
referred 10 will cause u breaking
of the shackles that have been
fastened upon the men who are
producing the beef on the hoof.
a great many people have been
predicting for the past year that
there was going to be tremend-
Gus crash among the cattlemen Of
the southwest, and that thousands
of them were going to be forced
out of business. 1t will be readi-
ly noticed, however, that this big
down fail has not yet occurred,
and while some runChmeu have
retired from business it has been
from choice and not from neces-
sity. The cattle industry stands
today on too stable basis to
yield up the ghost ON account Of
the depredations Of few men IN
control of the market situation,
and will continue to grow and
prosper long after they have
passed of the scene Of action. The
cattle industry of this great coun-
try of ours is here to stay in some
form or other, and the cattlemen
of the country while suffering
much loss through the deprecia-
ton in values, are generally in
good shape and will come out in
the end with plenty to keep the
wolf from bowling around their
doors.
The breeders Of registered cattle
have suffered just rs much
through the depreciat on of cattle
values as the range men. The
demand for their product has
been largely curtuiled, and prices
have been practically cut in half,
But 1t may be said to the credit Of
these breeders that they have not
lost heart or confidence in the
situation. They realize that every
branch Of the cattle business is
suffering from temporary period
of enforced depression, and that
the time cannot be far distant
when Improvement must come all
along the line.
The Texas producer would like
very much to avoid the necessity
of invading the free grass sections
of the northwest this spring with
his steers but will not hesitate to
do 50 if the eXlgencies of the stu
ton should demand it. If his
twos cannot go out under pur-
chase they will surely go out in
first hands. Again we repeat that
this is not II threat but Il predic-
ton.
The damage suit industry COM
planned of by the railways is
robbed of many of its horrors
when viewed dispussionately
through the glasses of reason, for
there 1t is We get the full benefit
OF cause and effect. The remedy
for the situation so far as the
railways is concerned is prompt
and efficient service and n little
more of disposition to recognize
the fact that there are some rights
IN a 10