The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-15
PROPOSES GOVERNMENT
ABATTO|RS FOR RELIEF
Governor stuart Before Judiciary
subcommittee On Borland
Resolution
NEVER HAD MORE THAN
ONE ri DIOR CATTLE
Believes Congressional Inquiry Into
Alleged Price Fixing by Meat
Packers Should LIE Ordered TO Get
Facts

f Y. ASH, irsgton. d C. Apsa .44y--Ap-
pearing before the Judiciary. Sub
committee having under consideration
the Borlsnd resolution seeking inquiry
into alleged price-fixing methods OF
the big packers OF the country, Cover
nor Stuart. Of Virginia, today urged
the passage OF the measure Governor
stuart, who is" one Of the largest cat
tie growers In the South, proposed
that government abattors be estab D.
lished IN cattie-rais!ng centers so
farmers could market their cattle
themselves The Governor had read
into the record of the committee a
statement of conditions, which is the
substance of the argument verbally
made by him for the adoption OF the
Borland resolution.
Congressman f, G. Carliu, OF vir-
ginia, who is chairman of the sub
committee, interrogated the Governor
as TO the profits of cattle raising, and
was told that in his best years the
Governor had not made more than six
per cent on his investment and that
, last year his returns did not average
Nmore than one and one-haf per cent.
The Governor said that he was una bic
, to explain why cattle went so low in
1915
One Bid All Ever Received.
Governor Stuart said that he had
never received more than one bid
from the packers when his cattle were
ready for the market. He did not
say be believed that the big packers
fix the price Of cattle TO the detriment
Of the cattle producer and the meat
consumer. but he asked that the reso-
luton be passed so that Congress
H. Ifah fhA
facts.
The Governor declared that cat
tie producers during the last year
might better have given over four
fifths of their land to some other
purpose, rent free. for all the profit
they derived from their business. AS
a remendy for this condition he pro-
posed that government abattoirs be
placed in the cattle growing centers.
perm. .tting farmers 10 market their
own cattle The statement OF Cover
nor Stuart, read into the record or the
committee. was as follows:
Governor stuart's Argument.
The admitted shortage OF cattle
dating ts,Gk at least three fears is
greatly accentuated by the practical
withdrawal OF inlportations from Ar
gentina Against this short supply
has been asserted an unprecedented
foreign demand which has been met
by shipments both in volume and
value many times in excess of any
previous year, all sold to the foreign
consumer at enormous prices.
Our own industrial situation is and
has been for some months better
than for several years past, indicating
an earning power which should afford
a guarantee of at least healthy do
nestle demand.
Hides on big beef cattle have since
the beginning of the European war
advanced fully nine dollars per head
and all the by-products of the slaugh-
ter house have advanced. particular
" those which the farmer buys back
in the form OF fertilizers. Every
thing in the way of grain and pro-
vender consumed by last years sup
ply of cattle was abnormally high
In short, everything that has gone
into cattle and everything that is
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