Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-12-09
|S1OCKMAN SAYS
 U. 5. IN DANGER
 OF ROME'S FATE
Texan Says Future Depends on Livestock Growing Be
 ing Made Profitable.

Chicago, Dec 6.-That the nations future absolutely depends on live stock production being made profit able to the farmer" and that on an average for twenty years, it has not been profitable were statements made today by Edward C. Lasater, owner of large cattle ranch at Falfurrias, Texas, in addressing the National Con- ference of Marketing and Farm cred | it's here. His subject was: "The Mar keting of Live Stock"
 "The question of privately owned and packer-d0rnlated stock yards is of more vital importance to this ra- tion," said MT: Lasater, "than wheth- CT navy shall be built and equipped at government owned or privately con- trolled shipyards and munition fac tories. One has to do with the de- fense of our national honor and rights, anything worth defending.
 ] for generations as rulers; from a na- tion of farmers they became great in war wealthy, and seemingly wise as law givers. Their wheat fields yielded more than thirty bushels an acre, and,
 
 ters of the world. When the scepter of power passed to other people the ] Roman fields yielded only three bush els to the acre of shrivelled, chaffy grain. As their wealth had increas- ed the people had become money and power mad, and the dominating ele- ment of their population congregated in the cities, leaving the farms to be titled by hired or slave labor and in- stead of farming they mined their soil." 1 MT. Lasater pointed out that. this country could see a parallel in Rome's story, and closed with plea that this generation restore the soil by careful husbandry, saying:
 "As a nation we cannot tolerate an agency operating between producer and consumer, with power to take from both that to which the agency deems itself entitled. We the 'com- i mon people, whom, according to Abra- ham Lincoln, the Lord loves because he made so many of thenl,' acting through government agency, must have a thorough Investigation of all problems entering the production and marketing of live stock and the pro- ductions therefrom Thus live stock production so essential to the feeding of our people and to the restoration of soil fertility, may be saved to our nation"
 Urges Competition Among Buyers. Live stock producers were urged to do their share in stimulating compe- l tition among buyers for the packing ! houses, and to discoutage the grow ing practice of selling to agents sent direct to the farms, in an n-address by M. l.. Mcclure of Kansas City, Mo, president of the National Livestock exchange. Mr. McClure's remarks, which exhibited some concern over "the hold the packers have on the producer" were made at the section devoted to "Marketing of Live Stock" /"
 "If the present system of marketing on central competitive markets is the the best, it should be supported and the efforts of certain packers in try ing to break down the price making system by going to the country to buy their supplies should be dis couraged," said MI. Mcclure.
 He urged producers to refuse to sell to agents sent to their farms and ranches. He said that central com petitive markets are natural growth where prices are fixed by the law of supply and demand, unless the market is manipulated. He said it was ob- vious that no packer would send to the farms unless he could buy cheaper there than na competitive market.
 MT. Mcclure in noting the decrease in competition among big buyers of fat stock observed that the federal government in 1915 had inspectors at A fewer packing plants than in 1912
 "Every one knows of this lack of competition" said the speaker. "The free working Of the law of supply and demand is all that can be asked. We see the supply; what is asked is that the roof be taken off SC that we can see the demand"
 Tru SS5 fo1, Tire &e11zica