The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-02
ON MARKETING BEEF CATTLE.
Chamber of Commerce Offers to Aid
Farmers I'm Selling Stock IL They
Will Organize into u Busincss.likc
Body.

VII SVH'ciudy approached the Secre
taries OF the Sumter Horse Show Asso-
ciation and Chamber of Commerce
win complaints regarding the low
prices offered for beef cattle by the
sumter cattle buyers.
One OF the cattle raisers asked why
the Horse Show Association and the
Sumter Chamber of Commerce en-
courage the raising of cattle when the
prices offered are SO low.
The reply given by the two secre-
taries were i'm substance about as fol-
lows: Said one of the secretaries. the
horse show man: "The way TO sell
cattle is for the cattle raisers TO sys-
tematize the business end of the cattle
raising business by organizing a CO.
operative marketing place among the
cattle raisers to sell cattle through an
agent who knows how to sell cattle
like the cattle raisers i'm other coun-
ties and other States are doing. If a
cattle raiser brings an animal to Sum-
ter and takes any old price offered by
the Sumter beef buyers or other cattle
buyers. why the local cattle buyers
Will continue to buy his cattle as low
aus the cattle raiser will sell the same.
And II every other cattle raiser in
Sumter county does business the same
way why the local cattle buyers will
also buy every head of cattle, not at
standard market prices, but at what
ever price the local cattle buyer sees
fit to offer.
The commercial secretary said that
the Sumter Chamber of Commerce
stands ready to cooperate with any
organization of cattle raisers organized
FOR cooperative marketing, but that
no board OF trade or other business or
ganization can possibly assist a dis
organized and unbusiness-like mass of
cattle raisers who will market their
cattle I'm any old way. 1t is the bus
mess of the Chamber Of Commerce to
Cooperate with the farmers in every
legitimate endeavor to maintain profit
able and reasonable living prices for
the producers. and also as far as pos
sible to cooperate with the masses of
the consumers In keeping down exorbi-
tant prices of food stuffs.
The Chamber of Commerce has Of
Tered. time after time. and advertised
the fact that the CLERICAL force and
machinery of that organization is at
the disposal of the farmers of Sumter
County to be utilized as a central ex-
change for offering farm products of
all kinds for sale. But no organization
can even measurably assist with sue
cess In any absolutely unorganized
and unsystematized marketing meth
DDS.
The prices Of farm products, cattle
raising included. are or should be reg
ulated by the universal law of supplv
and demand. based upon standard
market quotations. But if n farmer.
and all farmers of Sumter County who
raise cattle continue to sell at any old
price without regard to the standard
market prices. they will continue to
get much less than their cattle are
worth.
NO farmer can reasonably expect
that the business men of Sumter can
possibly regulate the prices of beef
cattle to be paid by local meat mar
kets. unless the cattle raiscrs them
selves take enough interest in what
cattle should bring to form a CO.
operative marketing bureau in charge
of some competent selling agent to
handle Sumter County cattle offered
on the Sumter market.
1t Is fact that no matter how
cheap cattle are sold on the foot or
otherwise to local meat markets the
consumers never get their beef any
cheaper. The low or extraordinary
low price Of beef cattle benefits the
local meat shop or local cattle buyers
only and does neither producer or the
consumer any good.
SO tho cattle raisers can benefit
themselves and the consumers nv
properly organizing for business-like
and intelligent marketing of cattle and
swine"
1t Is expected OF every farmer
farmer that he shall manifest some
interest In his own business affairs.
and that he should be willing to oav
something to somebody to manage the
marketing of their cattle, if they are
not business men enough TO market
their cattle proftably.
Throughout the United States there
are truck, grain. live stock, and other