Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-10-26

az NAO A0GAO ObOCAAOA G9COSA&
tion banquet recently held in Boise.
H. r.. Smith, live stock commissioner
of the Union Stock Yards at Chicago,
delivered an address, in which he re-
viewed the live stock situation in the
United States and pointed out some
of the responsibilities facing the Ida
no stockmen. His speech in part is
as follows;
I'VE are confronted at this time
with the highest prices on record for
all animal products. The best cattle
have been selling at the Chicago mar
ket for as high as Is cents per pound.
with sheep and hogs correspondingly
high. 1t would seem that the oppor-
tunities for engaging in this industry
were never better. though the margin
Of profits are not as large as those
uninformed would seem to believe
owing to the excessive cost OF feed.
understand that hay in Idaho is sell
ing for prices ranging from SIS to
$40 per ton, and that many breeding
cattle are likely to be sold because
OF the expense in wintering them.
This is unfortunate at this particular
time and / hope these reports have
been exaggerated. While IL is unrea-
sonable to expect these high prices
on livestock to continue indefinitely
there 10 reason to believe that high
level will be maintained for number
OF years, even though peace should
be declared in the very near future.
I'VE have authentic information to
the effect that the cattle Of Europe
have been reduced In number APP
proximately $4,000 900 since the war
began Hogs in Europe have been re-
duced in number $4,000 600, and
sheep 54 200, 900. The breeding herds
have been completely annihilated in
certain sections OF Europe where the
fighting has been most severe. There
Ia certain to be a great demand for
breeding stock OF all kinds from this
country with which 10 rehabilitate
herds Of Europe and we must be pre-
pared for this demand.
Present high prices In the United
States were not caused by the wal
alone. The shortage in this country
and increasing prices began severa
years before the war, and this grea
conflict Ia not entirely responsible
for the present situation, though J
has made 1t more acute.
THE diminished livestock produc
tion with which we are confronted a
the present time, is, in my opinion
no serious fault on the part Of tn
producer. believe the situation
which confronts us today 10 matte
of circumstances which could hardl
be controlled by the producer. Yol
all know the cause of the great de
cline in the number of cattle an
sheep in the period from 1907 t
1918, and in presenting these figure
| want to present two periods-th
decline running from 1907 to 1913
and the period of increase from 191
M to the present time. You a.
know that our decline was 40 pc
cent in cattle~ in the range state
from 1907 to 1913, with decline {
Z per cent In hogs and 7 per cent ]
sheen, and you know the cause {
that was the settling up of the rang
country, which is now raising Whes
and other small grains, whereas
few years ago it was all given
grazing.
THE Transformation of much .
what was formerly free range int
farming land was done SO quickly an
the decline in cattle was SO rap
that the country could not adjust
self through increased production {
our farms. The advance in price VI
imminent. A restocking OF herds h
heRun. however, and is showing
self by recent statistics, which ind
cate an increase of IL per cent
the number of beef cattle in the Ur
ted States from January /, 1914,
January /, 1917; an increase OF
per cent in milk cows. IA per cent
hogs. bnt a further decline OF 3 p
cent in the number of sheep.
These figures present an avera
increase of about per cent year
cattle and hogs, our chief source
meat, whereas population has De
increasing about per cent each yes
II wonId seem. therefore. that priC
should now be lower than in 191
and they probably would be low
were It not for another abnormal :
nation which suddenly developed t
latter part of the year 1914-the v
in Eurbpe which called for the
sportati0n OF great quantlties OF M
(which would have Otherwise Fenia
BED in this country.
According to the records receiA
from the department Of CONNER
our exnorts of meat and meat pr
nets in excess of imports during
year eadiAg December 81, 1914.