The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1913-07-11
Beessteak and rhe Banker
Continued from No. SD


countries will continue in a large
measure to absorb any surplus of
beef supply now visible, thereby
maintaining the world value of
beef cattle at a high figure,
seems q self-evident fact.
The three great countries
which have all along been q
source of surplus live stock sup
ply are Australia, South America
and the United States. The
figures available for our own
country show clearly that we
have not only ceased to be ma
ton with a surplus supply Of beef
cattle, but that we have actually
reached point where if condi-
tions are not rapidly changed we
must go without our beefsteak
or buy it from other countries.
Australia, as we are advised,
has for the past few years gone
through a drought condition
which has so completely depleted
the herds Of that country and so
discouraged its ranchmen that
her contributions of meat to
other nations, for number of
years at least, will AL moderate
indeed. From the Nsily Consul
lar Reports just referred to Aus.
tralia is credited with II, 200, 900
head of live stock, with de.
crease Of practically one million
head in the figures shown for the
the preceding year, and although
their supply is credited at about
"a head of live stock per capita
OF population, it is observed that
this ratio Of cattle to population
is decreasing year by year.
The most reliable information
from Argentina, to which we
have been accustomed to look
for an inexhaustible supply of
high grade cattle, is to the effect
that for the past three years that
country has suffered from a
drought which has apparently
been an extension Of similar con.
ditions prevailing throughout
our own country and South
America. Added to the disas.
trous effects of this drought has
been an epidemic of foot.and.
mouth disease which has left
that country with a shortage of
live stock approaching in compa.
rison with figures for the United
States; their total supply on jan
uary 1st, 1918, being, according
TO the Daily Consular and Trade
Reports of February 9Th, this
year, 20, 100000 head, which is a
decrease Of approximately one
million head for the last twelve
months and gives that country
now a per capita beef supply of
possibly less than FIVE head.
So serious has become the con.
dition there and so insistent the
demand Of foreign countries for
beef, that legislation is now
pending to prevent the slaugh-
tering of calves and all female
cattle under seven years of age
or the export Of live cattle of any
character, and it is calculated
that with this strenuous legisla-
tion it would take ten years for
the cattly supply to reach its
normal proportions, and with the
demands which have for years
been made upon that country by
England, Germany and France,
with the added demands during
the past year from Portugal,
Spain, Italy, Switzerland and
even the Bermudas, it is ex.
tremely doubtful that if in that
time the Argentina's stock will
have reached a point where it
will be able, at reasona BILE prices,
to supply the necessities for local
consumption and the demand Of
these countries.
Quoting again from the Daily
Consular and Trade Report for
February s, 1918, it is entercst.
ing RI note that Canada now