The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1910-05-06
WHY MEAT IS
HIGHER NOW
LIVE STOCK COMMISSION MAN
HAS FORMED A THEORY.
u. 2. Buel Of Chicago Says It Costs
More to Produce Beef Cattle
and the Supply Is Not
Adequate.

Eeaely twenty eight years ago the
svst and only train load of Texas
grass cattle that ever brought 81 per
hundred pounds in the market were
sola at that price in st. Louis. To be
nsore specific, c. C. Slaughter, the vet
eran cattle1nan of Texas, now resi-
dent Of Dallas, shipped train load Of
his high grade steers from his plains
country ranch traversed by the Texas
& Pacific railroad in Western Texas, to
that market, and they arrived and were
sold on May 81, 1882. The cattle were
sold by Hunter, Evans & Co, one Of
Che pioneer commission firms there.
81. Louis at frat time being the prin
cipal market for Texas cattle.
The junior member of that firm in
1882 is a visitor in San Antonio in the
person Of NJ. P. Buell. of Chicago, who
Is still identified with the live stock
commission trade at the Union stock
yards in that city.
This sale at 81 was made before the
large packing houses were established,
though at present between 5000 and
5000 cattle can be handled in a day.
The cattle were bought by George
Hammond, shipped to Hammond, Ind,
ana there butehered 10 supply the Gus
TONERS Of what afterwara became
known as the Hammond Packing CO.
The sale verifes the statement made
by Mr.. Buel in this connection that a
short supply of desirable cattle unde-
niabiv leads TO an advance IN price.
In his capacity rs a guardlnan of the
PRODUCERS interest on the bull side of
tbe market, he is of the opinion that
the question OF supply and demand is
the dominating factor in prices and
clinches the argument by asking why
the packers are paying SO a hundred
ing crusaders would have rs believe,
they are organized TO a degree that
mikes them absolute dictator8 of the
price
TO the high price of meats and the re-
medal measures which must be applied
he said:
Present values of farm products,
including meats, are at a high point,
resulting into general complaint being
made by the consumers throughout this
country, and the world. Much has been
said on this increased cost of living and
the live stock interests has received
perhaps, more criticism than any other
Of the food producers. Statistics will
show that meats are lower in compari-
son with many of the food products
and that the advance has not kept pace
with such products a. eggs, butter, ana
in fact, everything with possibly the
exception of potatoes, which are lower
IN the large markets al This time than
they have been for a number Of years
The present high prices are the natural
result Of an increased consumptive de-
mand and "a falling off in production
Especially is this applicable to the
live stock industry, of which forty
years experienc prompts me 10 a con
clnsion that during that period, when
ever the prices obtained were not pro
ftabIe TO the stock raisers, then re-
eeipts IN the market eenters were re-
dueed 20 peint that resulted in en-
haroea values. Statistics of receipts
of live stock in Chicago alone show
lighter receipts and higher prices than
have prevssled for some years. There
eaunot be mach in the statements that
large packing concerns control prices
If such Were the case hogs would not
be selling in Chicago today for $40 a
hundred, live weight, sheep ana lambs
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