Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-12
LIVE STOCK men
HEAR VIEWS Of
Gov. M'KELV|E
State Executive Emphasizes
Necessity Of Doing Some
thing to Stabilize
Market,

A business meeting this morning
at the Exchange, luncheon at the,
Chamber of Commerce and an auto
ride around Greater Omaha will
conclude the program of the fourth
annual convention OF the National
Live Stock Traders exchange
which opened yesterday.
Governor S. R. McKelvie was
the principal speaker following the
luncheon yesterday noon in the Ex-
change dining hall Hon. John N.
Tanner and w. B. Tagg also spoke
Governor McKelvie's Speech.
Governor McKelvie's speech in
part follows:
There can be no doubt that the
keeping of live stock is essential to
the successful agricultural develop
ment of a state like Nebraska. 1t
facilitates the rotation of crops and
contributes largely to the mainte-
nance of soil fertility.
Nebraska has been one of the
leading live stock states in the un-
ion 1t stands high in the produc-
ton of horses, cattle, hogs and
sheep.
The condition of the live stock
industry in this state is not salts
factory, in spite of the need for beef,
pork and mutton as foods, and re-
CARELESS of the fact that the keep
ing of live stock enters so strongly
into the scheme of successful farm
management. For instance, I have
before me now the figures from
thirty-five representative counties of
the state, which indicate the relative
numbers and value of horses, cattle
and hogs for the years 1918 and 1919,
as shown by assessors reports:
Horses, 1919, 328,494; valuation,
s4,696,O76; horses, 1918. 35l, 544; val
uation. S5,579,507. Cattle, 1919, l.
006,396; valuation, $9,872,862; cattle,
1918, l,04S,079; valuation, $o,8l0,o20
Hogs, 1919, 6o4,l56; valuation, 49,
45S,951; hogs. 1918, 843,ol2; valua-
ton. $3,3S5,8o6.
These figures indicate that in
these thirtyvflve counties the num-
Der of cattle has decreased during
the past year, al, 6S3 head, or approx
imately 4 per cent, and the number
of hogs in the same counties during
the last year has decreased 1872
head or approximately Is per cent.
Il have no doubt that these rela-
tive percentages will obtain
throughout the entire state.
Must Stabilize Market.
II shall not try to define all Of
the reasons for this rapidly chang
ing condition, but do feel that
something must be done to stabilize
the market prices that are paid TOR
live stock, as one of the principal
means for encouraging farmers to
engage in livestock production.
THE war period was very hard
one on livestock farmers; though
prices were high, the profits realized
by producers were comparatively
small, and in many instances heavy
losses were sustained. Since the
war, the condition has not material
" improved, for while very hand
some range of profits is promised to
the hog growers, the feeders of cat
tie have lost very heavily during the
most recent months.
"The wide fuctuation in prices
that obtains in the livestock market
is a thing that discourages the live
stock breeder and feeder. The con-
dition assumes the proportion OF a
gamble in which high-priced feeds
is not an uncertain quantity.
II think there are large acreages
of pasture that are not being grazed
this year, for the very reason that
farmers were afraid to buy cattle
at prevailing prices and with rap
idly declining market confronting
them. | know that on the farm in
Clay county, where l was born and
reared, fewer cattle are kept this
year than ever before, and the pas
lures are going unused. l think the
grazing regions of Nebraska would
pasture a much larger number of
cattle than are being kept there
now.
These are matters that must be
given most earnest and thoughtful
attention at the hands of those who
are in a position to influence these
conditions. If the farmer can grow
corn and wheat and other cereals
at a reasonable profit and withou.
the risk involved that accompanies
the keeping of live stock, you may
depend upon it that that is the
course which he will pursue. In
this he is actuated by the very same
motives that would prompt anyone