Arizona republican., 1919-02-13
The Live Stock Industry

There was a time when the growers of live stock had no reason or saw none for organization. The business was fairly secure one It was subject only such misadventurcs as were beyond the con- ro of the growers such as may befa any enterprise The s,ockman could feel reasonably under the domination of the law of supply and demand. There was no range problem. There was the boundess west Cattle took the place Of the buffalo
 But on this time d new order was coming about and conditions so shaped themselves that the secre- ary Of agriculture in his latest annual report said The restoration and maintenance Of conditions which win justify confidence the live stock markets and meat packing industry is tho greatest single need in the present situation in the United States. It seems desirable therefore. that the necessary legis laton be enacted at the earliest possible moment"
 What were the present conditions which moved tho secretary to urge restoration of conditions? The business of raising cattle for the market had become uncertain and precarious. The demand for meats and products was greater than prices in this country had scared unhcard Of prices the number Of cattle had fallen away. There was such demand rom abroad for American meats had never been contemplated. An investigation had just shown that thc profits of the packers had enormously increased during the war. and yet, many stockmen had gone
 
 bankruptcy. No stocSman could feel secure.
 I' was not that in recent years there had been a change in range conditions for the worse. On the contrary those conditions. under benefcent laws and departmental regulations, had been somewhat inn proved So far tho forests and other lands of the public domain were concerned the stockman siven more secure footing than he had quarter Of % century ago. His stock had also been improved In quality. Altogether his plant vas more efficient than he had had. Yet his profits were lcsscned year by year and were being gradually brought to the vanishing point
 Tho trouble. must by this time be surmised was with the market though the natural conditions would seem 10 have made for better market a more stable well higher one. The prices of meats everywhere seemed to indicate that there were not enough cattle. So few were the cattle that a con siderable part Of the population of this country was taken off of a meat diet year ago and the use of meat in towns in the midst of the great ranges was restricted. Yet the grower could not find profit in his business from the prices he received for his cattle
 The discovery now made was not really discovery for t had been in part observed before Some years ago. growers noticed that there seemed to have been
 loss of relation between tho prices of meat and the prices of cattle There were seasons when the grower had to believe that cattle would bring good prices but when they did not; and. less frequently perhaps' nc rcceVed Tar prices when be feared that ho would obtain lower All this tended 10 the destruction Of his confidence in the market and with out confidence in markets for the products of any enterprise there can be for that enterprise
 It plain by this time that the law Of supply and demand longer regulated the market for live stock It in the hands Of mcn-the great meat packers-and t was 10 restore it that all the pending legislation now proposed initiated and it is 10 encourge the enactment Of that legislation that the stoclmen o this state and of every state and district are now working.
 good market cannot always be assured for any enterprise under natural conditions. amid the 1uc- tuations which are incident to all earthly affairs. there must be good markets and bad markets the stockmen are willing to take their chances with markets as they used to do. But they want and de- mand an unrestricted market one free from human direction and manipulation