The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-09-28
E;o Price for Beef.

4 $1,000 on foot This was pie TO
i the producers who were fortunate
4 enough to have animals ready TO.
the market at the psychological
moment, when beef OF this elias:
Was scarce, and the market needet
it, but it is mighty hard on the grea
ford few cents, SO to speak, where
with 70 supply the family with very
limited amount of this staple com
modify. In fact, IN great malJ
cases it is absolutely prohiDltlVe, ane
] can only be taken advantage OF by
the more affIuent OF our citizens
why this great shortage Of beef il
This great country OF ours! Is there
really any need for the existence Of
such a condition? These are ques
lions worthy OF consideration by ou1
people and, in the opinion or the
writer, they appeal, or should appeal
with greater force to our sournern
people than to those in any other
section OF the country; and why?
In the first place, the supply OF
| the country's beef is largely depend
ent on, and in the hands OF, the west.
| ern farmer and feeder at the pres.
| ent time. With the increase in our
| population, from natural and imml-
| grafton sources, it would appear that
the western producer, especially, is
not capable OF meeting the demand,
and his competition from other sec
lions Of the country is nil, or practi-
caliy SO. Why this lack OF competl-
ton in the big markets in a rich cat
| producing. country like ours?
The answer is not very far to
seek The south, which represents
something like one-fifth of the area
Of the United States, with it's enor-
| nous wealth of stock foods and for
ages, and a continual growing season,
IS shut out Of the best markets in the
north and west by a federal quar-
antlne which prohibits its cattle
competing with those OF the western
feeder, VINO has nothing like the adj
vantages possessed by the south for
tie production of beef animals. Do
you ask way? It is superfluous to
ask such a question, as it has been
answered many times during the past
lew years. However, we will repeat
it. 1t is because of the presence of
the common cattle tick in our south
ern country, and SO long as We
permit it to remain with us, and we
are closed out of competition in the
big cattle markets of the country,
the country. is likely to have to pay
e1orbitant prices for its meat, and
the south to be deprived OF the prof
its which such open markets would
afford. Just think OF the mutual
benefits that would accrue, both to
the producer and the general beef
eating public, it the south had free
access, at any time OF the year, to
the best markets of the country.
There would not be such fancy prices
obtained periodically, perhaps, but
they would be better regulated, the
people would be better served, from
an economic point OF view, and our
southern farms would be enriched
through an lnsssas in the number Of
cattle and the greater abundance OF
depleted soils.
If the south was free of those ex-
pensiYe cattle. ticks it could raise
beef for the greater portion OF the
entire country, and then some for
export. But so long. as We sit idly
by and let those parasites blast our
possibilities and eat up our profits,
Just SO long will We have periodical
shortages in the beef supply, with e1-
orbitant prices, the western producers
obtaining all the plunas, and our
own people, ina section with such
unparalleled possibilities for such in
dustry, sucking their thumbs and
wondering how it all happened.
The south, in the writer's opinion,
holds the key to the beef situation;
but it cannot unlock the door to that
situation until it has a clear entrance
to the open markets, and it cannot
secure this until it has earnestly
made up its mind that the cattle
tick is its worst enemy, and must
be absolutely externinated at the
very earliest possible moment.
r, ~.