The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1918-11-23

The eAt1re moY8o(00 otu8S1oo -
% changed since ~ 0sptsmbss tolue
conference a to nsesssitats n sntase
alteration In the plans ef prics steN'
iisation. The curssat Dsses TAN -
alarmed the holders a corn. and thsRs
has been a price dscltns Of from %
cents to 20 cents psr buGhsl he ~
that the accsmulations q low psSos1
corn In the Argentins and South AM
ca would, upon tAs advent Of psess
and liberated shipping. become avsa-
able TO the European narkst has crs-
ated q great deal of Apprehension -
the part Of corn hoidsea- This decline
has spread fear among swine growers
that q similar reduction In The pescss
of hogs would naturally follow. More
over, the lower range q corn prices
would, II Incorporated In q 1S-to-l n
ito. obviously result IN q continuously
falling price for live hogs. In view
of these changed conditions many
swine producers anticipated lower
prices and a q result rushed their
hogs to market b large numbers and
this evershipment has added to and
aggravated the decline.
The information Of the Department
of Agriculture indicates that the sup
ply Of hogs has increased about . per
cent, while the highest unofhcial esti-
mate does not exceed 10 per cent. In
creased production over last year. On
the other hand, the arrival Of hogs
during the last three weeks In the
seven great markets has bsen n per
cent more than last year, during The
corresponding period, Demonstrating
the unusually hsavy marketing II the
available supply. In the face q De
excessive receipts some packers have
not maintained the price agreed last
month. On the other hand, many
Of the packers have paid over the
price offered to them IN an endeavo1
to maintain the agreed Dr1cs. The ~
suit In any event has besn q failure
to maintain the October prios baels
determined upon at the Ssptsmbse CO.,
ference and undertakes BY the paeh-
ers. Another factor Contributing to
tie break in prices during the month
has been the influenza epidemic; II
has sharply curtailsd consumption Of
pork products and temporarily d.
creased tho labor star Of ths packsss
about % psr cent
The exports Of 1S0000,000 pounds
u posk products for October con-
pared with about 100000 pounds
In October Q year ago. and he
export orders piaceabis b. the Food
Administrator for November. amount
to 100000 pounds 40 coatrast-
"a with tie lssDsf exports Of
100000 for November, 1917. Tho
Increased demands IT The allies are
Continuing, and are In themselves
proof Of the necessity for the large
production for which the Food Admin
lstration asked. The increase In az
port demands appears 10 b amply
sufficient TO take up Tie incrsass IN
hog production, but umfAvorabSe mar
ket conditions existing In October A.
ford no fair index Of ths aggregate
supply and demand.
II must be evident that The enor-
NOUS shortage in fats In the Central
Empires and neutral countries would
Immediately upon peace result In i'd
ditional demands for pork products
which, on top of the heavy shipments
10 the Allies, would tend materially
TO increase the American exports, in
asmuch as no considerable reservoir OF
supplies exists outside Of the United
States. 1t seems probable that the
present prospective supplies would be
Inadequate to meet this world demand
with the return to peace. So far ~ II
10 possible to interpret this fact. 1t ap-
pears that there should be even q
stronger demand for pork products
after the war, and therefore any alarm
az hog producers Al TO the effect Of
peace Ii unwarranted By the outlook.
In the Night Of these circumstances
n n the conclusioA of the conference
that attempts to bold the price Of hogs
10 TIE prica Of cord may work out ID
n disadvantass Of pork producers
n n ~ conclusion that any interpre-
tat5on q TIE formula should b Z
broad gavssd policy applied over q
long period. 1t 10 the opinion Of the
conference that In Substitution Of ths
prsvssu plaas Of gtabliaation the