The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-05-18
DANGER AHEAD !

This is not pessimistic nor an eN-
aggerated heading. 1t is truth so far
as our production of good beef is con-
cerned We have come to a point
where everyone interested in our live
stock industry must stop and think,
but we refer more especially to the
subject OF our export cattle for direct
" or indirectly they rule the price of
all classes, or at least there is a SYM
pathetic rise, or fall in prices as the
barometer changes in the British mar
ket You may preach about beef trusts
till you are blue in the face--every
day their action is controlled by what
is reported from the great meat-eat-
ing center of our modern civilization.
The dressed beef men are only the
means to an end, and not themselves
the end. They may have, as most
good business men have, OWNING
rod which helps them, but today they
are up against a great problem in the
competition from other points OF the
compass. There are men i'll Britain
who say they can see the sway of en-
pire so far as beef is concerned leav-
ing the North American continent, to
be found nearer the Southern Cross
To us, watching the straws as the
wind blows them about, there rs some
| foundation for the above thought,
which may be father to the hope. The
Shorthorn sale at Perth, Scotland, on
the 21st of February was one OF the
straws. 1t demonstrated great fact
and one that no live stock man on Our
side of the water can afford to over
look. There 251 young bulls brought
under the hammer $425.o0 per head
against 295 last year at an average OF
$250.OO per head One bull consigned
by Lord Lovat of Beaufort Castle
brought $500, and his average for 8
head was about $4,000 The demand
for everything at the sale that was
above an average was quickened, al
most made d-hot, by the Argentine
buyers. They picked all the plums, as
we'll as many OF the apples.
Another straw: Bailie Taylor, Pit
fvie, Carroustie, Scotland, is thi:
spring shipping nearly 1000 head o.
Shorthorns to the same country, ant
these the best that can be had. How
Scotland can stand the drain we DON
propose to discuss. We suppose she
will survive, just as she got over Flod
den and thousand other difficulties
Sufficient for our argument is the fac
that the purchasing power OF the Ar
gentine is evidently unlimited. Onl
breeders OF Shorthorns get nothing
from this vast expenditure of money
That itself is gricvous loss. Witt
our American breeders unable or I'm
willing to touch the market the Brit
ish breeder has the field to himself
and up in Scotland there IS grea
Shorthorn boom. 1t will probably dc
harm locally but meantime the mer
are getting rich and in their thrifty
way will be laying away their surplus
against a rainy day. With wonder
full energy and in broad-minded fash
ion the Britishers are meeting the de
mand What contrast TO the letharg,
and narrow ways OF our Shorthorl
breeders. They might read the parabl'
Of the Ten Virgins to some purpose
But it is questionable il they woult
see the moral or the point OF that tall
as applied to the ethics Of the Am
crican Shorthorn world. 1t is admit
ted that the Shorthorn is the prcmic
breed Of rhe bovine race He can I'll
many parts Today he stands hfghe
, than ever in the worlds estimation
. He has great mission to fill and no
where more so than in our Western
states. or with the decline OF the Here
; ford in weight as he grows in quality
: with the Aberdeen-Angus unable t.
stand the wear and tear Of prairi
life, the day of his opportunity is nov
here.
t CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
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