Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-15

will have less and less surplus OF provi'
sions with which to supply the world:
Last year the Argentine Republic sold
England three times more maize than
the United States did. something like
100000 hundredweight more wheat and
considerably over twice the amount OF
refrigerated and frozen cattle. The ship
ments for meat are considerably heavier
for the first nine months of 1909, SO the
proportion shipped by the Argentine Re
public is not likely to be less for the
present year.
There cannot be less than ego COX. OOO
OF British capital invested in the ma
tional. provincial and municipal bonds OF
the Argentine Republic, and In Its rail,
ways, tramways and miscellaneous and
Industrial enterprises and undertakings.
To this should be added further
amount, and one more difficult to esti-
mate. comprising British investments in
land Many estancias are owned and not
few managed by British subjects or
their representatives. Probably f3OO.OOO,
coo are the figures that would more nearly
represent the British capital invested in
the Argentine Republic.
May Menace Meat Trust.
Great as this stake is continued the
Times, land surprising the figures
may appear to those unacquainted with
the agricultural, commercial and indus
trial progress of the Argentine Republic,
the growing Importance of that republic
as a. food exporting country is of still
greater moment. Aside from wheat,
maize and cattle. the Argentine Republic
sent us last year nearly as much frozen
mutton as New Zealand, and two and a
half times more than Australia. BY con-
trolling the several processes in the
preparation. transportation and storage
Of meat. the American meat trust has
been able to secure monopoly in the
meat industry in that country. This
monopoly is threatened by the surprising
increase in the production of beef cattle
in the Argentine, and unless the supply
is at once secured or controlled in the
interest of the American concerns the
position Of the trust. both at home and
in foreign countries, may be seriously
impaired
This intimation from the Thunderer
that the great packing companies of the
United States. which means Chicago.
should take an interest In the beef and
Tic is worth inquiring into 1t is not a
new suggestion. There have been oc-
casional rumors that the meat kings OF
Chicago were investing in South Ameri-
there is no tangible evidence of that fact.
1t is not difficult, however. for them to
make friends If not partners of their
competitors, and the beef and mutton
have always been controlled by a few
men just like the packing business of the
United States.
The Standard Oil Company is supposed
to have a large interest I'm the Russian
wells and refineries. Indeed. it has the
reputation of controlling them. Other
reports have been to the. effect that q
pooling arrangement has been entered
into between the Standard Oil Company
and the Russian producers by which
prices are equalized and maintained. and
the markets Of the world divided SO as
to economize in transportation. advertis-
ing and the expenses that competition
| would naturally incur. However this
MAJ be, il is certainly true that one never
secs Russian oil in certain countries and
the product of the Standard OIL Company
is equally conspicuous by its absence In
other countries. There must be some
harmonious or automatic arrangement
between the producers on the Caspian sea
ana in the trans-Caucasus and that
mighty octopus, 1.-THE Light of ASH" as
Mr.. Rocketeller's corporation is called III
the east.
There has never been any active com
petition between the United States and
the Argentine Republic in beef or mutton
or grain or any other food product The
prices of grain fixed i'm Liverpool for
all the world and the pr ces of beef are
fixed in London according To the demand
and the supply.