The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-09-30
GROW PLENTY OF ALFALFA
But Feed 1t on the Farm to Stock is
Cry.

! "A year or so ago indignant consum-
! ers IN several cities OF the lnited
states, IN protest against the rising
price Oh meats, were organizing clubs
ana pledSlnS themselves TO abstain
from DeeI, VEAL pork and mutton. They
we've under the impression that the
packing houses were buying cheap
ana selllnS dear, ana their first UNI
reasoning impulse was to start a
movement that would so reduce con-
Sumption or meats that the packing
mouse trust would fall to it's knees ana
lower prices to where they were a
few years ago
In the light of facts that have since
been revealed that ephemeral protest
now seems foolish in its fatuous dis
regard of economic facts. The pack.
! ers invited investigation and pretty
nearly proved their assertion tht they
were no taking unreasonable toll.
Meats are high" they told the pub
| lie, because livestock of all sorts is
scarce. We don't like this condition
any better than you, for we would
rather see meats cheaper and con-
sumption increased, for that would
mean larger business and better earn
ings for u.s."
When it came to checking up the
assertion of the packers it was found
that both official and private statistics
bore them out. While population has
grown nightly in 20 years there is
less livestock in the aggregate in the
United States than was here two de-
cades ago; and the decrease has as
sumed appalling figures in recent
years In nutshell, there are more
mouths to feed and less meat to feed
! them.
| Now President Mischoff of the Am
erican Meat Packing association flat
ly tells the American people that the
! worst is yet to come IF the produc-
ton of cattle decreases in the same
ratio, and the population increases as
| 1t has, said that authority, 1--WE shall
see the American workmen eating rice
and spuds, but no meat" Porter
house steak, he says, may go to 81 a
pound.
Mr. Bischoff couples his alarming
forecast with an 'if,' and that 'if''
VIII probably save the country from
the alarming condition which he so
ruthlessly throws upon the curtain.
reputation is certain to increase. and
II the American people don't grow
more cattle than they are growing
now something resembling these pre-
dlctlons will come to pass.
But more cattle will be grown.
THESE matters are always righted in
time by the hard law of supply and
demand Irrigated regions of the west
VIII grow alfalfa and feed it to live
stock on the farm. Good prices are
certain to lure enterprising men into
the business. But it will take a little
time. The farms can not be stocked
up in a month, nor yet in a year.
In the important work of building
up the livestock industry of the Unit
ed States Professor Holden's alfalfa
campaigns play helpful part, We
want alfalfa on every farm" but we
need to keep in mind that alfalfa is
only means to a greater end. In it.
self 1t is nothing; but fed to livestock
1t Is gold If the farmers of the IN
land Empire get no further in the
movement than the mere growing of
alfalfa, the campaign would hardly be
worth while. We could overdo the
growing OF alfalfa hay for market lust
as some persons think we have over
done the growing of apples and other
fruits, while neglesting to follow Cal
lfornlas example to providing can
neries and evaporating plants to work
up the surplus into by-products.