Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-20
PROF. w, J. KENNEDY, or AN e,
PUTS PROBLEM UP TO
HOUSEWIVES.
COUNTRY NOW FAcEs
NEAR BEEF FAMINE
Use Of Cheaper Grades Of Nest Only
Solution Of High Cost Of Living In
solar a. Flesh Food y ceneernsd-
Tariff Reduction oHsrs Only Tenn.
perary RsIisf-susossts Remedy.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Ames. Oct. 2o-The good old days Of
cheap beef for the table Of the Ameri-
can consumer are gone for good. and
the secret OF reducing the cost Of liv-
ing from the beef standpoint is a prob
lem for the housewife to solve. Is the
conclusion Of Prof. w. ]. Kennedy, di-
rector Of agriculture extension Iowa
State College. after twenty-six days
Of personal investigation in the stock
yards and packing plants Of the st.
Louis market. Director Kennedy says:
1T is really amusing to listen to and
read Of the many reasons advanced
for the present high prices Of beef and
other meat products. Some people
place all the blame on the farmer,
others blame the packer. and still 9TH
ers the retail butcher. A careful study
OF the existing conditions will reveal
the fact that no one Of the much ac-
cused and oftentimes bitterly abused
above mentioned parties Is really re-
sponsible for the present prices Of beef
supply and demand.
Facing Near Beef Famine.
For the first time in the history
Of modern civilization, our people are
facing what appears to be q near beef
famine. It has been gradually facing
us every since 1907. Between Jan. I,
1907. and Jan. !. 1913. our supply Of
beef cattle fell OF some 15,970.00O head
or about 80 per cent, while our popula-
ton increased about 100000 people.
This would not be such serious mat.
ter from the consumers standpoint II
it applied Just to the United States. A
careful study Of the beef cattle situa-
tion in all beef producing countries
clearly indicates that there is world
wide shortage, as in but two countries,
namely. Australia and France, has beef
production kept pace with increase in
population since 1900.
Tariff Relief Not Permanent.
"At present there 10 a great deal Of
tariff law, which has placed meat on
the free list, will have on the cost and
supply Of beef In this country. It may
serve temporarily to somewhat reduce
the cost Of beef but 1t will not have
This is due to the fact that Europe Is
meat hungry, thus will bic against our
people for the surplus meat Of the
Argentine. Australia and any other ex-
porting countries. Even the most OPP
timistic. believers in free meat figure
that at the very outside. not more than
1000 head Of cattle per week or 2.000,-
900 pounds Of beef can be expected.
This amount would barely furnish
enough beef for our annual increase in
population. The very lowest estimates
on our annual per capita beef con-
sumption place the amount at fifty-six
pounds per person, or Ii, 100000 pounds
per day. thus our pc ople would eat the
entire amount of anticipated yearly
importation Of beef, some 100000. 900
pounds in about seven days.
cheep Beef 10 Passing.
I'm my judgment the days Of cheap
thing Of the past Beef cattle were
grown in former days on free land or
land very low in value in comparison
to present day land values. The pres
ent prices of land. feed and labor make
it absolutely impossible to produce
cheap beef. The farmer is not to
blame for this as he can not afford to,
and what is more, he is not going to
produce beef for prices below what his
corn and other crops are worth in the
open market. A great deal has been
said about the packer robbing the PEG.
pie. At the present time he is COM
PEELED to utilize every by-product Of
the animal to come out even in the
business. For instance take as an H.
lustration the Chicago quotations, for
the week ending Oct 4. 1913. on beef
cattle on foot and fresh beef on the
hooks. Prime steers cost the packer
at least 9 cents on the hoof or a 1900
pound steer cost $10s Such a steer
would dress out about TO pounds Of
beef. This beef was sold by the car
cass for 1875 cents or s97.3o to the re-
taller. Thus the packer had to get
$1,000 OF the purchase price Of the
steer from the hide and offal before
he had his original investment back.
His labor, interest on investment, risk
thru loss and profits had to all come
out of what the country butcher dis
cards as waste in his business. In adj
dition to this the packer after paying
for the cattle on foot must submit the
carcass to most rigid health inspec-
ton. It often happens that q portion
Of an animal or perhaps the entire
animal is condemned and sent to the