Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-15
MEAT FAMINE N GERMANY
Claim Made that Cattle Feeders Are
to BIause for she Hieh
Prices.

BERLIN, oct l4.-(Speclal Cablegram to
The Bee )-sThe outcry against the prOhibi-
tive regulations concerning the import of
meat from abroad is becoming louder and
louder all over the German empire, 50
that It will be interesting TO watch whether
the government will much longer continue
to turn deaf ear to the apparently just
demands OF the people in order TO satisfy
the ideas of the German farmers. The
price of meat has at length risen 10 such
extent that 1t is becoming partly pro-
hibtive to people OF sn AL incomes and
wholly prohibiuve to the poorer section
OF the working classes In towns where
artisans and factory hands have become
accustomed to a meat diet.
1t must be known that II Is not simply
a question of meat as food. but of the fat
OF pork that is used In large quantities In
small households in the preparations OF
most articles Of food. During special in
quiries the subject IN East Prussia,
which is a poor province, it was found that
the people consume large quantity OF
pork, the fat of which is used in the dress
ing of vegetables. soups, etc Not very
long ago the market price of pork was
about sixty pfennlngs-in some cases less;
but meat which TIL comparatively re-
Gently cost sixty pfennings is now sold at
eighty-five to ninety pfennigs and rose to
even one mark usl per pound. In other
words, there has been rise in price Of
from 20 to 50 per cent Meat has never
been so high in Dantzic as Il is at the
present moment aud the same doubtless
holds good all over the kingdom of Prussia.
Berlin prices have risen enormously and
all classes in the towns, without exception,
are being seriously affected.
According to the law now In force the
number of pigs that may be brought across
| the eastern frontier is 1880 per week
Next spring this number will be raised to
| $500. 1t is submitted that in view of the
present great demand which cannot be
satisfied by the home producers, the new
regulations should forthwith come into
force. But the farming interest is, Of
course. dead against any concession to the
general public The present situation is
naturally exploited by Liberals throughout
the land and above all by the social demo-
Gratis. 1t is question of political strength.
The matter has two sides. From the
point Of view of the town population, in
| cluding all workers in Industrial life, mat
ters stand as Just stated; and taken as a
| question of housekeeping, the result is that
the weekly bill for food at the present
iuncture must necessarily be higher II
meat is to continue as heretofore regular
article of food. But there IS something to
be said on the other side which in a great
measure accounts for the high prices. A
couple of years ago the farmers had no
food for their cattle. owing to the drought
and were obliged to sell' at any price In
order TO get rid Of their stock. Meat was
consequently a drug on the market. poor
as It was. This year there was a super
abundance of fodder Oats are better and
more plentiful than they have long been
potatoes, which last year cost up to Is pei
cwt.. can be bought for is Cd; even Is &c
and Is per cwt. The farmers are endeavor
ing to take advantags of the situation
partly In order to esIrsssiie tfFeirf fodder
and obtain good manure, and partly II
order to feed up their stock and recouI
themselves for former years of lean stool
and poor prices
According to many authorities the higl
, prices will soon go back again. There il
plenty Of live stock; but II is a question o
|, interests. The farming interest is tryini
p TO take advantage Of circumstances anC
to recoup itself at the expense of tn
general public II IT be true that tn
, farmers are only holding back their stool
, in their own interest. and that they will
have to bring It to market now withou
. loss Of time, their time will soon be over
: and they will in the end not gain mucl
, more than a good supply of manure 70
the soil Meanwhile, the butchers an
, dealers in meat. who rule reap larg
, profits from the public, are forced L
forego these profits owing TO the inabilIt
, Of the general public to purchase so muc
meat and they accordingly join the poll
ticians, who are working for political pur
uoGps