Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-02
Consumption Of Farm
Products More Rapid
Than Production, Says Pres.
Sehurnlan Of CoFneIL
Cattle In Future Will Be Raised on
Farms Instead Of Ranches.

WATERFOWL, N. Y, Feb. las an ex-
PLANTATION of the increasing cost of liy-
ing, President j. G. Schurman of Cor
nell University declared in an address
before the New York State Grange
here tonight that the consumption of
farm products is outrunning their pro-
duction. The cost of producing meat. he
said. may in the future, under condi-
lions which he forcasted, be greater
than the consumer can stand. Presi-
dent Schurman said on this subject:
Everyone is concerned today about
the advance in the cost of living. Some
ascrihe it TO the increase in the worlds:
production of gold with the resulting
tendency to universal increase in
prices. The trusts are blamed for it nv
others. who charge them with monop-
oliZing important articles of consumn-
ton. In our own country there seems
to be set determination on the mart
or the government to DESTROY trusts
which are monopoliZing articles of uni
Versal consumption and raising the
prices on the consumer. And of course
| this is the only proper method to pur-
sue.
Doe ~ iietS NCIy wen De THAT lnc
causes of this increase in the cost of
living lie deeper than is generally sup
posed. The population of the country
is increasing. The consumption of farm
products is outrunning their produce
ton. And as our unoccupied lands are
now exhausted, it is costing more to
produce articles of fod than formerly.
Look. for example. at the subject of
beef. Cattle were formerly produced in
vast numbers and at comparatively
small cost on great ranches through
out the West. These ranches however,
have now been taken up by homestead
ers who use the land for farming pur-
poses. Ranching is, therefore, rapidly
becoming thing of the past. More and
more in the future cattle will be sup
piled to the market from small herds
owned by farmers. Meanwhile we stand
between tbs era of ranching, which is
passing away, and the era OF stock
raising on farms. which is not ade-
q,lately developed to met the needs of
our increasing population
Mr.. ,Schurman presented statistics
showing the decline in cattle and swine
during 1909. He asked: SIS it surprising
that the price of beef cattle on the
farm has increased during these u
months, II per cent. or the price price
of hogs 40 per cent. ?"
"These figures he added, Suggest
new problems for the farms. The cat
tie Of the future will be raised. not on
ranches, but on farms. 1t will there
fore, cost more to put them on the
market. Whether the consumer can
stand the price will be question for
him to determine. In any event the
farmer must not be charged with rails
ing the prices, for the farmer will be
furnishing the product under condi-
tons far more unfavorable than those
in the past From the point of view OF
economics it is of course absurd to
speak of the farmer as raising the
prices, as the farmer either individual
ly or collectively is not and canont
be either trust\ or syndicate. The
price of the meat will ultimately be de-
termined by the cost of production and
the price from day to day by the de-
rand. AS I have minated, however,
it may we'll be that the cost Of rroduc-
ing meat for universal consumption
will under these new conditions be
greater than the consumer can stand