Norwich bulletin., 1910-03-19

represented profit to the feeder, nov 1 represents a loss to him. Therefore, getting tired of paying out good money l for the sake of producing beef for l somebody else to eat, these farmers 1 have stopped raising beef. The lands which once made paSturage are grow l ing up to woods again, and, local com l petition thus out of the way, the west what they please in the serene confi- dence that people must pay or go i meatless.
 For this state of things the western packers are directly and deliberately responsible. When they invaded the l Eastern markets they set to work to drive the local butchers, doing local business with homegrown meats, out i of the race.z- They went at it cunning 1 ly by .bamboozling the consumers, so far as possible, into the belief that Western was better than New England beef. They were cunning, too, in ap- pealing to the universal love of a bar gain. They were as interruptions and ruthless in their attacks on the busl- ness of the local dealers as they were cunning in their appeals to customers. They resorted to all the tricks or un- derselling and cut-throat competition in which their larger capital gave them the advantage. Then, having destroyed the native production of beef, and haV- ing driven the local dealers in home- grown meats from business, thus se- curing a free hand, they proceeded to do just what they had evidently in- tended from the outset, viz to boost prices.
 Now, l don't want to be understood as saying that this is the only cause for the high cost of meats. But 1t certainly is one cause, and 3 mighty effective one, too. So far as it avaiIs the only remedy for it is ill a renewal of the local meat-raising industry. And how is that going to be possible. when the packers club is still in com- mission, swinging high over the head of any man who shall presume to sell eastern meats, and the packers bot tomiess purses are open to. buy, brIbe or bully customers away from him?
 The consumers have their own share in the responsibility, which ought not to be ignored. They have allowed themselves to be duped into making a fad of western beef. That the best Chicago beef is better than the poorest Eastern beef nobody need question That heifer or steer beef from animals of Ineaty-build and habit is better than dairy cows of the Jersey style of arch itecture nobody need question: That properly kept and rripened beef is sweeter and tenderer than meat which was on the hoof yesterday and is on the table today nobody need question. But it is not true, never was true, and is never going to be true that any western beef is better than that from quickly fattened young animals of good beef breed, raised, butchered and properly ripened right here in New tEngland. If meat consumers would sustain local meat producers, one step would be taken towards the reinvigor- ation of local industry which would at least tend to reduce the shortage in the meat supply.
  charge higher prices for dressed meats because they have to pay the farmers more for stock on the hoof. How true this may be in the matter of beef 1 don't personally know, but, far as mutton and lamb are concerned I do know that it is absolutely false. I've been for a number of years in the busineSS-as one -line-Of selling live lamb and mutton. I've sold when the price for the dressed meat charged by my meat dealers was about one half what it is now, and 1 was not of 1 fered one cent hundred more for my live sheep and lambs, last winter, by dealers. than I was during that era of 1ow-priced cuts. Whats going on else i where I don't know, but I speak for l local conditions, with me. The sheep 1 buyers won't offer me any more for | my flock during these high prices 1 than they used to pay me when they i sold the dressed meat for little over | half the money To say that l am 1 responsible Tor the n1Sn cost or nut ] ton and lamb is ridiculous. So far as | I hear from others, I am inclined to 1 believe that it is just the same with l beef, but I can't speak of that from l Knowledge. Hogs are high. | as well as pork, and the hog-raising | farmer seems to be getting a reaSona- 1 ble share of the gain. I'm glad of it. ] The man who has to raise hogs for a 1 living ought to get good money. It's i, worth it.
 But when the meat men undertake l to tell the public that they're not a bit l guilty and that it's the greedy farmer l from Wayback Corners, etc, who is really responsible for all the altitude l in the meat prices, then I get right | up on my agricultural ear. "'Tain't l no such thing!''
 THE FARMER.