The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-28
WHY MEAT IS HIGH
cattlemen Say Packers Exact Enor-
nous Profit.

nous Profit.
Backed by 5000 members Of the
Texas Cattle Raisers' Association and
100000 Texas farmers, who together
own 100000 head of cattle and who
annually market more than l,OO0,-
600 head, Ed. c. Lasater, president OF
that association. has started a fight
to more equitably distribute the 800
per cent, profit which, it is alleged,
is now realized from the time the
beef steer leaves the hands of the
producer until he reaches the con-
sumer.
1t is charged by Lasater that the
greater portion of this enormous pro.
fit goes into the Golfers of the pack
ers. While the packers are growing
richer and richer and the consumer
is paying more and more for his beef,
figures show that the producers of
cattle are receiving less for their out
put, beef steers often selling for less
than the cost of production. The
movement launched by Lasater, and
which will be made nation wide,
seeks to know why the price of beef
goes up when the price of cattle goes
down. 'e2s2
A determined fight is to be the re-
suit of the conference held at Fort
Worth, called by President Lasater
which was attended by representa-.
tives from the Texas Farmers Con.
gress, the Texas Farmers Union and
delegates from many commercial
bodies.
At the conference it was shown
that 1t costs S21.06 to raise yearling
steer on the range, and that by the
time the steer is of age and in con,
dition for butchering the average cost
is $500 Lasater recently marketed
279 head and received an average oil
| $1Q,21, less than the actual cost a
head for production. This condition
means ruin to cattle producers. The
steer which cost the packer SOAPS il
sold to the consumer at close to $16t
gross. Who gets this 800 per CEN
additional is what the producers, as
well as consumers, are anxious t
find out.
To fight effectively the great pack
ers, with their millions of dollars o.
capital, the Texas cattle producers
and the consumers OF beef have de
cided on the organization of the Tex
as Cattle Raisers' Sales Directing
Agency, with capital stock of SO,
100000 The principal office will b.
in Fort Worth, with branch offices IL
st. Louis and Chicago The purpose
is to assist the producer in gettinl
better prices for his cattle, hogs
sheep and calves and to instruct hin
| regarding the greater markets.
The Texas Cattle Raisers' Associ
alton will subscribe S1,500,000 of tn,
stock. This amount will be obtaine'
by levying 81 head on the cattl
turned over to the association. Th'
remainder of the 100000 will b.
subscribed by other interests. 1t viii
work in the same manner as tn
Truck Growers Association OF thi
state, which has saved millions @
dollars annually to gardeners.
In addition to forming the sale
agency, Texas producers will urg
the attorney general Of the Unite
States to become more active in push
ing the cases now pending agains
the beef trust Discussing the fighl
Lasater said. THE cattlemen ar,
at the mercy OF the packers in ma
keting because the package contrC
the stock yards. II the selling agenc
does not produce the results we al
ticipated, we will go into the packin
p business ourselves. Plenty Of cap
tai can be obtained for that purpos'
The price at which meat is now sol
is the same at all the packing house
showing conclusiyely that trui
| exists"