Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-02-12
MORE LIVE STOCK NOW THAN A YEAR
AGO.

For the first time in many years, in
formation collected by the department
shows that all classes of live stock in
the United States are increasing in
numbers. Thus the real facts contra
dict, absolutely, sensational reports
that prices for meat and shoes would
rise to unprecedented figures in the i'm
mediate future. 1t has even been said
that Governmentstatisti predict
ed meat at so cents pound and shoes
at $40 pair within the next two years
Such prediction, the real Government
atisticans say, is quite unwarranted.
On January /, for example, the num-
Der of beef cattle showed an increase
of 3.4 per cent over the number year
ago, and an actual increase of 1872
600 head. Hitherto the number OF
beef cattle in the United States has de-
clined steadily since 1910. There are
also more mich cows in the country
than last year, the increase being 2.5
per cent, or in numbers 525, 900. Swine,
however. showed the greatest increase
of all classes SO per cent. On Janu-
airy l, 1914, there were only SO, 933, 600
swine in the country; on January J.,
1915, GA, $500 This is accounted for
by the fact that the production of
swine can be increased more rapidly
than that of other classes of live stock
and consequently an enlarged demand
can be met more readily.
The prediction of so cent meat and
$40 shoes was accompanied by the dec
laration that France alone has taken
from America nearly 300. 1000 horses
within the last five months and that
the other countries at war have drawn
upon our resources in the same proper
ton. The facts are that more horses
we're on the farms of the United States
on January l. 1915. than there were
year before, the increase being 233. 900
head, or IL per cent. So far from
France alone having taken 100000
horses from US, the total exports since
the war began have certainly been
much less than 100, 600 and very likely
not over $4,000. Since there are ap-
proximatelv 25,OOO.00O horses alto.
gether in the United States. the drain
on account of the war is scarcely
alarming.
Ieie, in fact, pointed out by'Govern-
ment statisticisns that the market
value of farm horses has actually de.
clined to such an extent that the aver
age is now about S. head less than q
year ago. This decline is most notice.
able in the cotton States and in those
States which make . business of breed
ing horses for sale in other sections.
Mules have declined even more than
horses, their value being now $ll.5O
per head less than year sgo. The ex
PLANTATION is to be found in the depres-
sion on account of the cotton situation
in the South, which 10 the great mar
ket for mules. An improvement in
this respect will do much to restore
the demand for horses, SO that Govern
ment specialists, while ridiculing the
notion of horse famine, are convinc-
ed that farmers will find it profitable
to use good work mares for breeding
more stock.
As for hides, the situation is not
quite so clear, but even here there has
been much gross exaggeration. From
two.fifths to less than one half of the
leather used in this country is import
ed, about Is per cent of the foreign
hides coming from Argentine, Is per
cent from Canada, IL per cent from
Mexico, 81 per cent from European
Russia, and u per cent from France.
Since the outbreak of the war i,npor-
tations have shown certain falling of
those for September, 1914, for exam
pie, being only $4,000, 900 pounds, in
stead of $4,000, 900 pounds the year
previous. There is. however, little
reason to suppose that this decrease
will be permanent or of sufficient i'm.
portance to create any real scarcity.
Since the great bulk of the imported
hides comes from countries that are
not at war. shipments are not inter
ferred with in any way, and the only
new factor to be considered is the pos
sibility of an increased demand by the
warning countries.
1t is believed, however, that the Uni
ted States is now in a better condition
to face such situation than for years
past The tide, it seems, has turned.
Instead of live stock steadily decreas'
ing year after year, this year for the
first time, as has been said, all classes
show an appreciate increase. Includ'
ing horses, mules. mich cows, beef
cattle, sheep and swine, there were on
January /, 1915. 7.7l2, 600 more farm