New-York tribune., 1910-01-13
BEEF AND SOME OTHER THINGS.


Just how much satisfaction will be
taken in the statement made by officials
of the National Livestock Association
that there is no danger of a shortage
of beef in the United States is not en-
tirely clear. The fact that a quarter Of
a billion dollars worth of beef is eX-
ported from this country each year
doesn't do the workman who is unable
TO purchase so much Of it as he has
been accustomed TO any more good than
the joyful news which might have been
impaired to the starving inhabitants of
India during the last famine that so
much wheat was grown in that country
that great quantities of it were shipped
to England There may be no shortage
III the production of beef, but there is 4
shortage of that article of diet on the
tables of many hard working American
citizens.
Mr. Mackenzie, vice-president Of tho
livestock association, says that at pres
ent prices stockmen are just beginning
to realize a fair return on their invest
ments, and that it is a terrible mistake
to urge farmers and homesteaders to
enter the cattle business. What we
would advocate is better cattle, not
more Of them" Naturally, the men now
engaged in the raising Of stock are not
specially anxious that others should turn
their attention to the same industry and
thereby increase the supply, with a re-
suitant lowering in price. The farmer
and homesteader are likely, however, to
make the terrible mistake" Of increas-
ing their operations along those lines
if the present high prices continue The
first interest of the country is by no
means the prosperity of the big range
men, but rather that of the small farmer
who is developing the land upon which
he lives to its highest point of productiv-
ity. And the experienced agriculturist
knows that only through the raising of
stock can this be brought about
SO far as fair returns on the invest
ment are concerned, economic laws, ex-
cept in so far as they are hampered by
artificial restrictions such as might be
imposed by transportation companies
or packers, will govern this. Land will
increase in value to such an extent as to
ElCfSHG lHS DtOAtS VI
becoming enormous, and if depression
or curtailed consumption reduces the
demand for any product Of the soil, the
price of the land upon which it is pro-
duced must decrease proporti0nately
unless the attention Of the farmer can
be turned in another direction The farm
er in the Middle West who is getting
from his land three times as much 10
the acre as he did fifteen years ago is
not making three times as much money,
for the value of his farm has trebled and
he must figure out three times as much
for interest and taxes. The man who
got in before the rise in land is better
off. of course, but the person vino must
begin anew will find that the increase in
the price of what he raises IS just about
offset by the greater cost of the land
which is the basis of his profit.
In the mean time, the National Live
stock Association TO the contrary not
withstanding, it would probably lie bet
ter for the country if more persons
would engage in stock raising, not on 4
large but on an intelligent scale. The
proportion of agricultural consumers to
agricultural producers is yearly becom-
ing more and more inequa BILE, and to this
fact is due in no inconsiderable degree
the increase in the cost of living.