Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-23
NATION BEING DEPLETED OF
n BEEF CATTLE TO MEET ENoR-
NOUS EXPORT DEMAND.
LANCE INcREAsE IN
EXPORTS TO EUROPE
Number Of Beef Cattle Decreased by
II Nearly 5000, 900 Half Million Fewer
Y, Mich Gown Than in 1915 Receipts
a Killing csntsrs Keep PiIins Up
What Can Bs pons2

Apparently there are only three ar
ticles in everyday general consump-
ton which have not increased in price
since the great war in Europe began.
They are meat, rice and newspapers.
So Tar as meat is concerned only
the wholesale price charged by the big
packers II referred to. Generally speak
ing they have not raised their rates,
tho there are few exceptions. Retail
ers may and In some cases do charge
an advance which does not seem to be
justified by the wholesale price. But
! canvass OF three or four representa-
tive retail markets shows that the price
the consumer pays for most meat items
is not much larger than 1t was one
year ago. r.
Big increase in Exports.
The meat situation is the more re-
markable because since tho war be-
gan there has been an enormous In
crease in the amount Of meat products
exported to Europe.
In the fiscal year ending June 30,
1914, for instance, the value Of the
fresh beef exported was less than
100000. Thsi year, for the same Pc
ried, the exports Of fresh beef were
more than $29,000.000. In other words,
thirty times as much beef has been
sent abroad TINS year as in 1914. In the
face OF this tremendous expansion the
price Of most cuts Of beef have not
been increased to the consumer.
Beet Situation Alarming.
Yet 1t would be worse than idle to
jump to the conclusion that so far as
4. - a. M
United States is in good condition. 1t
is exactly in the matter of beef cattle
that the situation is most alarming. In
the last six years, as revealed by the
Official figures, the number Of beef cat
tie in the country has decreased by
nearly 100000. There are even half a
million fewer mich cows than in 1910.
With an addition of millions to the
consuming population-plus the vast
export demand-we have less than
five-sixths as many cattle to supply the
beef for their consumption.
How. then, can the big packers. who
are not generally accused Of altruism.
afford to sell their beef at the same
prices which prevailed last year,
! Bio Market For Meat.
One must go back to the great war
ini Europe to and the explanation. In
THE first place. the packers have mar
kett for an enormously Increased
amount Of meat products to all their
ord ers from the warning nations OF
EUROPE. They can. therefore, afford to
pay good prices Tor all the cattle they
are\ offered.
I'M the second place, the war and
other influences have sent the price Of
corn up to more than 81 q bushel. The
average farmer who has crop Of corn
which he would ordinarily use to fat
teh cattle and hogs does not feel that
h4 can afford to feed 81 corn and take
G chances Of getting a corresponding
hrofit out Of his live stock next spring.
The result Is that he Is sending in
ialmost everything which can stand up
on four legs to be sold at the stock
yards.
Receipts on Increase.
Up to Nov. Is of last year the total
receipts OF cattle at the seven great
primary markets in the United States
Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha, St.
Louis. st. Joseph. Sioux City, and st.
Paul--wero 6,s3s,ooo head. In 1915 up
to Nov. Is the receipts at the same
pOlHL8 WcX0 G4OIS kAo1A c,vVVpuVV uCdus
Last year cattle were being killed more
rapidly than they were raised. This
year the situation Is vastly worse. Thin
and undeveloped steers are coming IN
TO be sacrinced by the hundreds Of
thousands. Every such animal, SOLD
and killed, perhaps for canning, means
one less prime beef steer ready for
market next spring.
And the flood which is draining the
beef supply Of the country continues to
increase. At the stock yards in Chi
scago alone $4,000 head Of cattle were
received the first three days Of last
week. 1t was the largest number for
a three days period in five years. The
receipts for October were 332,339 cattle,
the biggest since 1909. Last year the
same month only 2o2,375 came into the
Chicago yards.
\ What Can BE Done?.
What can be done about It? II .