The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-09-12
MEAT SUPPLY AND PRICES

to investigate the situation, learn the
real cause OF the high cost, and in
stead of indulging. with thoughtless
calamity howlers, in useless abuse of
the so-called packing trust" join
forces with individuals and organiza-
tons who are working along intelli-
gent and practical lines for better
ment of conditions.
The facts are, while the profits Of
the packers are believed to be exces-
siye, they are not the cause Of the
high price of meat products, and We
believe it can be conclusiycly demop-
strated that the great saving brought
about by the packing-industry through
the utilization of residues in the man
ufacture of important ~by-products
which were formerly wasted, together
with the establishment of a splendid
sanitary system Of distribution at min
imum cost, through intelligent bust
ness combination, enables the average
consumer to secure his meat supply,
in time, in kind, in quantity and in
quality, at much lower cost than il the
country had to depend upon the old
insanitary, wasteful and expensive
rural slaugntering methods.
The principal cause of the high
price of meat is the decided shortage
of the live stock supply; it amounts
to millions of animals, while consum-
ers continue to increase. This brings
the problem down to the simple pro-
position of supply and demand and
no amoun of abuse heaped upon the
packers for taking good profits, or
upon farmers for securing good prices
can be expected to bring relief to the
consumer, now or in the future.
Our observations and Inquiries lead
us to the conclusion that we may look
for an indefinite period Of high levels
in meat prices for the reason that the
great bulk of live stock which the mar
ket demands must be produced on
land worth $50 an acre and upward,
because in the average range section
it requires ten acres to support a
1000-lb steer five months; in some
sections it requires twenty or thirty
acres, and at the present price of
land in the range country it is quite
as cheap to pasture stock on good
farm land worth 500 an acre, and
much cheaper, if fertility is such that
the steer may be maintained seven
months on an acre and a half.
Thousands of ranchers have practi-
cally gone out of business and the
range country is covered by home
steaders, rendering free ~ranching i'm
possible, while speculation in land has
so advanced the price that ranching
on Enclosed land is no longer practical
BILE.
1--WE urge everybody to study these
problems seriously and intelligently.
We urge farmers to produce more live
stock. We urge landlords to improve
their farms that tenants may grow
live stock. We urge professional men,
business men, artisans and all work
ers to cease useless criticism of "big
business" public officials and sue
cessful producers, and join hands with
all who are encouraging increased
production, to the end that vision may
be enlarged, sympathies broadened
and cost Of living lowered"
The above statement, urging earnest
intelligent action in the right direc-
ton, is by the Illinois Farmers Insti-
tute, a body of prosperous, progressive
and practical men who make a sue
c~essful business OF farming.
These men have organized for the
purpose of discussing and perfecting,
for the benefit Of themselves and 9TH
ers, the most affective, economical and
practical methods for Improvement of
agriculture in all branches. Through
their organization, they lot only com
pare notes and help each other, but
also make known the results of their
consultations, experiments and discov-
cries to those outside their %organiza-
ton who may be interested.
The publicly announced convictions
of such men, derived from their united
practical observations and experience,
are we'll worthy of careful study by all
the farmers and stockmen Of every
state.
They have found from actual ex-
perience that ut pays to breed and