Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-30
GOVERNMENT STATISTICS CON.
TRApicr SENSATIONAL
STATEMENTS.
PRICES NOT TO GO TO
UNPRECEDENTED FIGURES
Meat and Shoes Not to Soar to Un.
hoard Of Levsls-value Of Horses
and Mules Actually Decrease In Face
Of Expected Demand From Warning
Nations-More Beef in Sight.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Washington, jan. S0.-For the first
time in many years, information coll
iected by the United States department
of agriculture shows that all classes of
livestock in the United States are in
creasing in numbers. Thus the real
facts contradict absolutely sensational
reports that prices for meat and shoes
would rise to unprecedented figures In
the immediate future. It has even been
said that government statistician
predicted meat at 80 cents a pound and
shoes at SO pair within the next two
years. Such prediction. the real gov
eminent statisticians say, is quite I'M
warranted.
On Jan 1, for example, the number Of
beef cattle showed an increase OF 3.4
per cent over the number q year ago,
and an actual increase Of 1,212,00O
head. Hitherto the number of beef
cattle in the United States has declined
steadily since 1910. There are also
more mich cows in the country than
last year, the increase being rs per
cent, or in numbers $4,000. Swine.
however, showed the greatest increase
of all classes sc per cent. On Jan.
j, 1914, there were only 5S,933, 900 swine
on the country, on Jan. 1, 1915, 64,61S,-
600. This is accounted for by the fact
that the production Of swine can be in
creased more rapidly than that of 9TH
er classes Of livestock and consequent
ly an enlarged demand can be met
more readily.
War Not Taking Horses.
The prediction Of 50-cent meat and
$10-shoes was accompanied by the
declaration that France alone has
taken from America nearly 100000
horses within the last five months and
that the other countries at war have
drawn upon our resources in the same
proportion. The facts are that more
horses were on the farms Of the United
States on Jan. I, 1915, than there were
year before, the increase being 1884,
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 100000 and very likely
not over 10000. Since there are ap-
proximately $4,000, 900 horses altogether
in the United States, the drain on ac-
count OF the war Is scarcely alarming.
Horse Prices Decline.
It Is in fact pointed out by governs
ment statisticians that the market
value of farm horses has actually de-
clined to such an extent that the av-
erage is now about So q head less than
a year ago. This decline is most
noticeable in the cotton states and in
those states which make business
of breeding horses for sale in other
sections. Mules have declined even
more than horses, their value being
now $11.50 per head less than a year
ago. The explanation is to be found in
the depression on account of the cot
ton situation in the south, which Is
the great market for mules. An i'm
provement in this respect will do much
to restore the demand for horses. so
that government specialists while ridi-
culing the notion of horse famine
are convinced that farmers will find it
profitable to use good work mares for
breeding more stock.
Hide lmportations Fall Off.
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
ported, about rs per cent of the foreign
hides coming from Argentina, Is per.
cent from Canada, II per cent from
Mexico, 81 per cent from European
Russia, and ~ per cent from France.
Since the outbreak Of the war, i'm
portations have shown a certain fall
ing off, those for September, 1914, for
example, being/only $4,000 % pounds,
instead Of 45.OO0,O0O poun. 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 come from countries that are not
at war, shipments are not interfered
with in any way, and the only new
factor to be considered is the possibil-
ity Of an increased demand by the
warning countries.
Tide Has Turned.
It Is believed, however, that the
United States is now in a better condi-
ton to face such situation than for
years past. The tide. it seems, has
turned. Instead of livestock steadily
decreasing year after year, this year
for the first time, as has been said,
all classes show an appreciable in
crease. Including horses, mules, mich
cows, beef cattle, sheep and swine,
there were on Jan. 1, 1915. 7,712, 900
more farm animals in the United
States than ON Jan. 1, 1914. The in
crease in the total value was $751;
024, 900, or 1.3 per cent. 1t Is quite true
that this increase is not yet propor-
tional to the increase in population,
which is approximately per cent; but
the fact that there is an increase, that
the lido seems definitely to have
turned, is regarded as a sufficient an
Swer to alarming exaggerations and
misleading figures.
How to Cure a La Grippe Couch
"Coughs that hang on" demand treat
ment. Stop and think! Reason and