The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-07-07
HIGH BEEF PRICE
DUE TO RETAILERS
INQUIRY SHOWS
Cattle Price Drops and Packers Reduce
Rates, Oilt Consumer Finds
Little Relief.

WASHINGTON. July with beef
cattle selling for s. less hundred
weight than during the war. with iced
as high as ever stock feeders on the
ycrrr of ruin in western states. and tho
pricc of meat still continuing AT LOFTY
altitude. western congressman and OIL
Gals of the Department or Agriculture
have been in emergency consultation
for several days concerning steps 10
meet the situation.
Coincldcut with declining price Of cat
tie. hogs arc selling at prices never be-
fore cQuallcd.
Inquiries made by the Department OF
Agriculture in ten cities show that the
retail prices Of beef are keeping right
up. just as If nothing were happening TO
the raw material.
Less Beef Consumed.
While the ANONYMOUS situation brings
out the usual charges OF manipulation
and cxtortion by tn" packers. il is ad-
mittcd that there is another explanation
of high meat and low cattle prices.
! That is, that as Il result of beef cons"rv-
ing Eahits formed during the war. people
continue to consume relatively small
quantities Of beef. Meat dealers find
consumption restricted. and this shows
itself in lcthargic cattle market with
reduced prices. The practice of economy
in the meat situation applies par;icular-
" to the choice cuts. During the war
housewives learned all tho arts Of max
ing the inferior cuts appctiZ!nK. and
now continyT to eschew the best pccf.
The Department of Agriculture will
issue q statement on the subject Satur-
day in which it is expected to urge that
the public shake off its anti-rneat ten
dency and relapse into the liberal con-
Stunning habits of anti-war days. II
fact 1t Is possible that n regular propa-
ganda will be launched to inculcate the
idea that II is now just as patriotic TO
buy generously as it was formerly to
buy stintingly.
Investigations in the ton cities show
the packers have. in some measure at
least. done their part. as wholesale
prices are reported reduced. with retail
prices standing like a stone wall.
Capper Urges Action.
Senator Cappcr. of Kansas, being spur
red on by Geographic walls from con-
stituents. who are daily losing money
feeding high priced corn to cattle that
get cheaper as they get fattcr. declared
that such a fact placed against cOntin-
ued high prices indicated that something
drastic must be done to deal with the
high cost OF living Just what the dras-
tic thing is Senator Cappcr does not
profess to know, but he puts great store
In publicity.
In Washington. where the cost Of llv-
ing is conceded to be higher than any
where else in the country. It has come to
such a point that the government ser
vice is affected seriously, as il is snpos-
s:ble for government employees with
families to live on their salaries. An
employee OF the Department Of the In
terror, having a family OF five. reported
| that on salary OF SIS month his food
bills, aggregated $50. The DiHtrict OF
Columbia Committee Of the Senate is
! going 10 apply publicity next week
/ through series OF hearings In which
dealers will be compelled to disclose
their costs and margin If profits