Gunnison news-champion., 1914-01-30
COUNTY LINZ sTDu EsS
EfcfIK fE0EnII kTu
coa..a.aa frsm F,za Psss.


q keen damand acre the sa4ssas os -
sassacs n ths prsee of hse ss<sck- -
I iseilese I am e0rracs N stating sAaf
shs siasssshssperz al eser the eosusry
dsd esery thsHg " thsir power ~ ps
vent the saSsase for the very rsssss
shey are abe - make greater prasf
on ios than ou high pr'a~s. IL shsaSd
b. understood thai there ~ heavy
slaughter W nasnsieriess small ssstcter-
ing plsnts throughout the country -
well a. on thu farms. | have been IN
abis 10 attain the exaci figures of ses
nssn1ser Of head Of live stock sias4ehssr-
ed hs the Arusosr. swift or Aorrls In-
serests W plants owned or consroiisd ~
them. hsst the best ohtaInabse d~ta
credit them wIth slaaghter5ne about ~
per cent Of ali the cattle and calves. ~
per cent oi al the hags and - per cent
of all the sheep and lambs kilied IN this
country On sscOBnt Of the volume of
their business. they are the largest fsc-
tors W the meat trade IN this country.
bal they are Tar IRON exercising tbs
absolute control over prices 50 frsquent-
y claimed
s'Pricss for cattle commenced TO ad-
vance IN this cosntry about i've years
ago. and they reached the high point
on the Chicago market IN lsl2. the
average price for that year being tbs
highest ever known in this country.
Since 1912 there has been a gradual
decline in the price Of beef cattle. The
top prices for beef cattle on a ChicsGe
market are about 81 50 per hundssd
pounds less than the top price prevail
ing IN the latter part of 1912 On the
Pacific coast the high level of prices
still continue Notwithstanding the
general decline in the price of beef cat
tie, the price for breeding stock, and
for stockers and feeders was well main-
tanned during 1913, and for the greater
part of the year prices remained ut the
top notch.
Many farmers have been tempted to
buy stockers and feeders on a basis
higher than prospects for fat cattle
warranted. and unless there is sharp
advance in prices for killing stock, I
am afraid that those who bought stock
ers will lose money.
For many years theAmerican people
have been supplied with choice meat ct
a very low price and part of the tiuss
at less than the cost of productioa.
The price of live stock and meats IN
never again be SO low as in form0
years and the public may - well b.
come reconciled to that fact now.
There are now fewer cattle in the coun-
try per capita than in former years.
The reason is that the business of rails
ing and maturing them has not been so
profitable as other branches of agricul-
ture or trade. Our capacity for the
production of cattle has not been reach
ed; the present out put could probably
be doubled. Remunerative and steady
prices will bring this about, while un-
profitable prices will discourage pro-
duction.
unsatisfactory range conditions, set
Il ament of the West and the cutting
up of the range, fluctuating markets
and unremunerative prices all have
contributed to the present shortage in
cattle. do not believe that the re-
moval of the duty on live stock and
meats ought to have any influence on
the prices in this country.
Beef scarcity is not confined to the
United States. Every civilized nation
is confronted by the same conditions
population growing faster than the
meat supply"
Mr. Jastro devotes time in his speech
reviewing the condition of the cattle in
dustry of other countries, in order to
impress the fact that the removal of
the tariff on beef products ought not ap-
preciably TO injure the live stock indus
try and 10 assure those now In the busi-
ness and others intending to embark in
= N-AtNN VIZ liAN0NftNAN dIt tAftlltsnI
Tor continuance Of substantially the
present basis of values. Prices viii
huctuate but they viii not remain long
below the present level The removal
Of the duty on beef products will nave
a steadyIng influence on prices and il
viii prevent violent advances and tend
to more stable values throughout the
year.
i believe, - says Mr.. Jastro. that
the future will be different. The less
our surplus-or, in other words. the
nearer our production and consuuution
come together the less opportunity
there VIII be for slaughterers 10 force a
decline in prices. ~
. Mr. Jastro recommends that lmu1rted
meat shall be plainly marked in order
to prevent any deception on the part of
the retailers. Foreign meats ara in