The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-10-02

mat we may get n HOIt N'iNP.
knowledge OF the increasing cost OF the neces-
saries of of life. It's origin and the circumstances
that have aided It's growth, let us glance Dach
fftv years. or. say TO 1870. and note the con
ditions that prevailed generally Throughout tie
country and how the purveying OF 1000 was
accomplished in those days, as compared WIN
present-day conditions and methods
In 1870 the United States had a popuaVi'on
Of az $685. 71. of which only SOL ,875 were ~
inc in cities and towns of 5000 or more nhabi-
tants. or an urban population OF only zo,9 per
cent. We were therefore, 10 much larger
per cent rural population than we are To-Day,
Agriculture and numbering were the Pflh.iP"
industries The great regions west OF the ME
sissippi had only fairly begun TO be Seto1eu.
On the great plains immense heros OF punalo
still roamed at large. The red man, IN wal
paint and war gear, still continued 10 give D"0-
tie 10 the white man.
IN THE OLD DAYS.
The great plains afforded free and unlimited
nasturape TO the ever-increasing herds OF the
cattlemen. Cattle and beef were cheap. In the
corn-producing States OF the MloGle "ess
greater crops of corn were beng produced ana
az very low cost, therefore cheap corn was
available for the purpose of tattening and put
ting in prime marketable condition the great
herds of grass-fed cattle from the plans Inc
corn-producing States also raised hundreuS on
thousands of swine which were also iatteneu
on corn at low cost, therefore pork was also
cheap. In the East, in the regions near me
large cities. nearly enough cattle and SWINE we're
raised 10 supply their meat requirements. Inc
same was true of the regions surrounding the
smaller cities and towns. In other words, each
locality supplied, for the greater part, It's own
meats and foodstuffs
The method Of purveying food was simple
and direct for instance. the butcher went out
into the country and bought one or more heau
of cattle. swine or sheep, as his requirements
demanded. drove them into town and slaugh-
tered them in his own abattolr, then hung the
carcasses up in his shop. ready TO be cut up and
sold TO his customers. The grocer bought ms
goods very largely in bulk from the wholesaler,
who in turn bought his stock largely from local
manufacturers or producers. The grlSt or hour
MILL 70 a large extent, bought It's gram locally,
manufactured il into -four meal, etc, and sold
It's product 70 the home merchants. Thus we
note that in those days the purveying Of food
was regional rather than national IN scope ana
that such expense as transportation and re-
frigeration was kept at the minimum
SUDDEN INCREASE OF POPULATION
Population at this period $3.50 began to
increase very rapidly. owing to continuous
food Of immigration from Europe. The DRIFT
OF population was strongly toward the cities
ard industrial centers. The regional system OF
purveying food. especially in meats, began 70
disintegrate owing to the increasing demands
being made up on It. IL was becoming more
and more evident that, nasmuch as the great
prairie States Of the Middle West we're produc-
Ing beef. pork and mutton at the lowest possible
cost sooner or later the meat industry OF the
country would eventually center in that region.
AS compared with today, the people Of fifty
years ago lived more frugay and more simply.
They knew nothing of electricity the type
writer. photograph, telephone, piano, horseless
street cars, bicycle, automobile, aeropiane, or
wireless teegraphy Theirs was an almost Ara
cadian simplicity of life that knew little OF the
Worries and cares Of today.
Then began the modern period of big BUSH
ness" Great consultations of capital were ef-
fected for the purpose Of exploiting and con-
trolling certain lines of trade. especially the
purveyng of food, on a gigantic scale through
out the country These great consultations or
companies were located chiefly in the Middle
West and at first confined themselves to the
meat packing industry, but have of recent years
added other lines, ssch fruit and vegetables,
canned goods etc. These companies handle a
very large per cent of the food OF the country.
They own immense abattoirs, packing, canning
and cold storage plants, supply depots in all
parts of the country and many thousands OF
refrigerator cars. Their organizations and
equipment are perfectly designed and co-ord-
mated for carrying on their immense business.
The names of the five principal companies en-
gagged in the purveying of meats and other food
stuffs are household words throughout the land.
REGIONAL SYSTEM CHANGED.
The old regional system of purveying food
has been changed to that sytem that considers
the entire country as its proper field of opera
tons and exploitation.
Your local butcher where YOU purchase the
meat for the family is really not a butcher at
- tk.s.. l.1 amin IN
their lives, except, perhaps, a marauding cat
.Dhiln making the nInhi hldnnus with is Nnls