The Forrest City times., 1905-02-24
Demand for Hogs"
Fort Worth, Tex. Feb. 6, 1905.

run d StandpOlnt or proht, why more hogs should be raised in Texas.
 For the sake of argument, we will concede that supply and demand governs the profit to a great extent that is made on any commodity The demand. that is to say the consump- tion of pork products in the State of Texas, is over $20.0O0 900 per annum. During 1894 the hogs raised in Texas and sold to the packers was less than $3O0,000, and while 1t is true that quite large amount of hogs products are killed and consumed locally. still the greatest part of the consumption Is produced by the packing houses. According to these figures it would appear that some one other than Texans are raising the pork products that we eat Now, what are Texas farmers here for? Are they here to eat the products of the Nebraska hog ralsers, to support the hog industry there, or are they here for the purpose of making money to support their own industry? As long as the packers have to ship finished pork products from the North to Texas, then so long will the Northern hog raisers and the railroads eat up the possible profits of the Southern hog producer.
 Now, let us consider the possibilities on the other hand. Here we have the finest State in the Union for producing hogs. This statement may be dis puted. and still. in the face of prob- able dispute. I make it.
 We have climate so much in favor of raising hogs for market that in that respect alone We excel all others. We have no severe, long winters like the Northern hog-producing States, con sequently the fattening process is both quicker and cheaper, for the reason that in a cold climate food is con- sumed by the animal to keep up the animal heat, and he has no chance to make flesh while this goes on. In this We gain, because our winters are so short and mild that all our food put into the hog will go to make flesh We are not troubled with cholera to any extent, while the industry is crippled in other States by that dread 1 disease every year or two. We do not have to invest heavily in shelter houses as do the Northern farmers, and we are not at the expense of serv- | ing food hot in the winter as they are. 1 Texas will produce any grazing foods that any other State will produce. and l considerably more than most of them. Land is cheaper here than in the North, and we can afford to have larger pastures. It is true that all i Texas is not good producer of h. dian corn but where that will not grow the kaffir and maize varieties will Then. again, on account of our climate, our percentage of deaths among the little pigs is small com pared to other States, and on the same account our labor expenses in taking care of them correspondingly less.
 Now. if we have these advantages over other States, and I believe every Texan will admit that we do have them, and if, also, the hog has been the mortgage litter of other States, how much more will he do for us? Taking all these advantages into con sideration, and the fact that the pack. CTS are calling for three times the number of hogs for 1905 that were furnished them in 1904. and it seems to me We have every reason to say that more hogs should be raised.
 There are other reasons, too, that effect not only Texas, but the country as whole. The demand for pork products has been growing steadily larger and the supply of hogs offered steadily less in the past few years The stocks of provisions have been steadily falling behind, and at the same time so have the number of hogs. The natural sequence is that prlces must remain more or less steady, with every probability of an increase for some time to come The above are some of the reasons why We should raise hogs, and now sup pose you see if some one can give some good reasons why they should not be raised, so that We can have both sides of the case to consider. Yours very truly. c. w. MATTHEW'S,
 Secretary and Treasurer.
 Last year the crop raised exceeded by nearly 2,000,000 bales the amount needed for this years consumption. Buyers concluded the price could be forced down below cents d pound and we were presented with the srecr tacle of an effort to price crop of l3,0O0,OO0 bales at over $10O. 900 900 less than the price at which a crop of 11.OOO,000 bales sold Because the planters have raised 2.000, ,oOO more bales than will be consumed during the present year buyers proceed upon the theory that they should be paid slo0.oO0,0o0 less than they would have been paid had their crop been 2,000.. 900 bales smaller.
 A Mississippian says that the di. versifieation of crops creates pros. perity as surely as an overDroduction of cotton begets poverty and want, and that corn and peas generate hogs just as certainly as dogs do fieas. You might do we'll to make a note of these two statements. They are both true