The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-17
CATTLE ARE
DECREASING


washington, Sept. 17-starriina
conditions In the beef trade OF the
United States will be sharply directed
to the attention Of the public in the
report Of James WILSON,
secretary of agriculture.
The fact that there has been q de-
crease of 2,Is7,o00 in the number OF
cattle in this country in the last two
years, and that the exports Of catuc
have dropped off nearly 100000 In ths
last eight or nine months, is giving
the department Of agriculture great
deal Of concern. The price Of beef has
gone steadily higher In the United
States, while IL appears 10 have re-
NAMED at a fairly reasonable stan
dard abroad. Last year for the nrst
time In history, the shipments OF
South American beef into England
exceeded the shipments from America.
Beef From South America.
Although the secretary of agricui-
ture will probably mako no reference
10 the rumors that persons Interested
in cattle raising In Uruguay and Ar
gentina are preparing to invade the
American markets with frozen beer,
he undoubtedly has been appraised or
them, and may have some views to
express concerning such a trade inno-
walton later. For the present IL can
be said the department Of agriculture
il cognizant of the state Of affairs ex-
listing on the cattle ranges of this
country. and proposes at least to open
up the subject for discussion before
beef prices climb quite out of sight.
The decline In beef exports, the bu-
reau OF animal industry says. is due
to economic conditions at home, cou-
pied with the increased supplies In the
English markets from other sources.
chiefly Argentina The fundamental
cause, It is thought, Is the shortage In
our own supply of beef cattle, with the
] resulting high prices Of beef in home
/ markets.
Causes Of Cattle Shortage.
: Restrictions on the range and high
prices in the feeding districts are as
/ signed as the chief caues OF the big
cattle shortage. The free public range
is now very limited affair, owing to
the extent of the forest reservations
and the grazinz regulations imposed
by their management. Pay for winter
range feeding is expensive. and In the
feeding grounds of the middle west
the stock raiser is now paying from
sc to SO cents for corn which two
years ago cost him from 80 20 SO
cents. The consequence mas been dis
enlargement to the cattle raiser II the
figures in this connection are to be
believed.
FaNy hn FoI Flrry7fRnF M
cattle in the United States was ST.
$50, 900. In 1908 this figure dropped to
50,073.000, and Jan. / Of this year II
had gone to 49,379,O0O. THE report OF
. the secretary of agriculture viii show
! a decrease OF s20,0O0,00O in cattle
] business in the two years, 1907 ano
; 1908. The expectation Of cattle In
1906 was valued at $5s,27S,l32; In
! 1907. S33,764,425, and in 1905, SPA.
) O34. 1913. Reports for the first sever
B months Of 1909 show a decrease o.
nearly $4,000 in the number Of cattle
exported as compared with \ simiiai
Z period OF 1909.
4 II has been ascertained bv the de.
D partment that. while the price Of bee
at Chicago arose perceptibly in 1905
the prices of meat produced by small
4 err animals, such as hog and sheer
3 changed very little.
Beef Prices Going Higher.
4 In connection with the rumor tina
) South American countries will sooi
commence a struggle to get into tn
American markets with their beef,
= special report was received this wee
e from Consul Frederic w. Cooling q
!. Montevideo, Uruguay, in which b
u says that Americans have been col
Y lecting data there relative to the ship
II ment of beef and mutton 10 Me-
8, York
," 1.-The time may be rapidly approach
- ing" says the consul. when the mes
consumed by the people living alon
the Atlantic coast of the Unite
States must be supplied from II
a. River Plata Countries
l. Consul Golding expresses the bell,
Is. that Uruguay beef may be laid dow
Z, in New York for from 51a 70 8 cen
y per pound. The government OF Urn
81 quay has recently passed an act whis
Is, relieves the shippers OF frozen me
from the payment Of the exporG dui
. for a period Of ten years, provided q
meat is prepared i'm that country.
- s. III. Cowan. attorney for the n.
Sc tional Stock Growers. who Is in Wasl
ny ington, says the price OF beef IL pro-
= ably going higher: that the sto'
- raisers simply have not the supply
GO cattle they maintained formerly. u
ur Cowan asserts there Is q shortage
- 100000 head at the stock yards tt
"a year as compared with the shipmen
Ter OF year ago.
ed,