Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-11
clned to think the only certain thing
| is uncertainty.

i cllned TO THINK the only certain thing
i is uncertainty.
The periods of excessive marketing
of ripe cattle, hogs or sheep, when
prices rule very low, serve to extend
the use of the better grades, and in
times of depression demands are Gre
ated that would not develop under
uniformly high values.
There can be no doubt that the
great depression in sheep and lamb
values few years ago stimulated a
taste for prime mutton and lamb that
has been in no small degree RESPONSE
bic for the phenomenally high prices
| of the past year or two.
| SO 1T was with the last general pc
Rod of depression in horse values,
| prices got down to a point where they
attracted buyers from various parts
OF the old world. The introduction of
our horses. so superior in courage,
conformation and action, created a de-
mand that hangs on even in these
times of uncommonly high equine
values A consignment of carriage
horses was recently gotten together in
| Chicago at an average cost of nearly
~
many. If this demand had not been
stimulated by preceding periods of
low values no shipper would have had
the courage to send over a lot of
animals at such figures. This serves
to show anew that there is no great
loss without some small gain
Many of us have seen cattle sell
at $3.50 and much better ones sell
at half that price and less; we have
seen as good hogs sell at s275 as
sold at $685.; we have seen fat stock
losing plenty of money when fed on
zoe corn anG many experienced feed
ers testify that they regard the chanc-
es of making money as much better
when corn is at soc and fewer novices
are in the game.
1t is natural for people in almost
any line OF work to feel that what
they are doing is just a little harder
than any other job on earth. We are
very familiar with the seamy side of
our own garments, but are not always
able to tell how many tatters and
patches are hidden by the swell front
somebody else puts up
The man VINO is advised to make
his stock fat and heavy for market
and then finds them selling at a dis
count compared with light weight and
unfinished stock has right to feel
that his job is fraught with many de-
lusions and pitfalls. The man who
is expected to be able to sell light
stuff to good advantage when buyers
are loaded down with everything ex-
cept ripe, heavy lots; the man who
is expected to get up an intelligent
market report when one good sales
man quotes prices strong to higher"
and the next one knows they are
bidding him quarter lower than he
sold yesterday"
These men all have their troubles,
but If there was no trouble in doing
what is cut out for us to do there
probably would be less demand for
our services.
There is great opportunity for the
exercise of Judgment not only in pre-
pairing stock for market, but in un-
Outstanding market reports, and mar
ket needs and conditions. but the man
who starts out with the idea that he
will try to hit only the high places is
very likely to find himself humping
the bumps of adversely all along the
line. He is pretty sure to be loaded
down with heavy stock when every
body else is in the same boat, and the
next time he will switch to the short
feeding plan just in time to have his
hopes dashed again by the surprising
number Of people who seem to be
following his short sighted policy.
The most successful men in the
business are they who keep in daily
touch with markets and market con-
ditions. who do not depend upon mar
ket reports, whose allegiance to great
interests leads them to paint
dismal market conditions in roseate
colors and to make frantic efforts to
exploit the top price" on the one !
load in a thousand, no matter how /
much they neglect to show the true
status of affairs on the great bulk of
the stock, especially on the under
grades thar generally have to be sold |
at a sacrifice.
One of the great needs of our Amer
lean producers is better outlet in
foreign countries for the surplus prod
ucts of our fields and feed lots.
Just at the present time foreign
markets that are open on any terms