The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-02-08
KANSAS LIVESTOCK
ASSOCIATION IN SESSION

Wichita. Kan, Feb S.-Cattlemen
and representatives Of packers, rail
roads and banks of the Missouri Val
lev were here today for the opening of
the second annual convention OF the
Kansas Livestock Association.
Baby beef" marketing problems,
grazing, public lands, stock yard IA
cilities. livestock paper, the foot and
mouth disease, state and federal sani'
tary regulations, railroad rates, eX-
ports and imports Of livestock and
the taxes on meat and oleomargarine
were among the topics to be dis
cussed. The convention will continue
three days and will be concluded with
banquet Thursday night.
w. J. Tod, of Maple Hill, president
called the association to order this
morning. The men who produce and
market the states meat, were wei
coined to Wichita by Mayor Bentley.
Albert Tucker of Eureka, responding
for the ASSOCIATION. In his annual ad-
dress Mr.. Tod urged "A larger coop
Grafton between cattle producers on
the ranch, cattle feeders on the farm
and the packers.
Other speakers on today's program
were J. c. Mohler, secretary of the
state board of agriculture, j. r. Poole,
of the national livestock exchange of
Chicago, and Walter b. Shirk, Kansas
City, general livestock agent of the
Missouri Pacific Railway Company.
With the exception of the final day
no night meetings will be held, the
evenings being given over to entertain
ment.
Much interest was manifested by
the delegates in the sales of stocker
and feeder cattle and horses and
mules, to be held each day of the
convention, at the local stock yards.
National organization Of live stock
producers to combat proposed increas-
es in railroad rates was advocated
here today by James Il. Poole, of Chi
cago before the convention of the Kan
sas Live Stock Association.
Mr.. Poole, who told his audience
that he was representing the National
Live Stock Exchange, an organization
of commission men, SAID the increases
were sought by the roads because OF
burdens imposed on them by big pack
ing industries. He urged support of
Ia protest which his organization has
filed with the interstate commerce
commission.
Direct country buying, with a con
sequent slump in demand and prices
at open markets was blamed by Mr..
Poole for much of the recent decreased
returns to stock raisers. He pointed
out that market values have depreci-
ated despite big export trade and in
creased domestic consumption
Illustrating the power of the big
firms over the railroads, he cited that
swift alone originates 1900 cars Of
traffic daily and other packers in pro
portion
"To charge the PACKER with respon-
sibility for all trade ills would be OBJ
viously absurd" he said. But the
magnates of Packingtown cannot deny
that their policy is responsible for
much of the adverse sentiment to-
ward them For more than a decade
they have planned night and day to
control distribution of meat products,
not only of the United States but the
whole world.
"They have repressed competition
by purchase or otherwise until inde-
pendent buyers at the stockyards may
easily be enumerated. They have re
sorted to every possible eXpedient to
control prices, not the least effective
being direct country buying, and if the
producer is dissatisfied, he is not to be
blamed for getting into that humor.
"One remedy liesi such effective
national organization as the packers
and railroads have perfected, an or
eanizatiop able to make its voice
heard in the halls of congress and be
fore every body of state law makers,
Such an organization of the live stock
producers of the United States would
be irresistible. The problem is up to