El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-23

I west and other matters OF importance
I TO the cattle raisers Of that district
! secretary J. n Sanburn OF the Pan
Z handle and Southwestern Slockmens
I tions Of cattle ana ranges were very
much better than they were this lime
I last year.
Just about a year ago our drouth
was broken and cattle were in very
{ poor condition, but now we have had
in most parts a fairly good rainy
season. or at least suffit lent rain to
give a gOOdly amount Of grass. and
inquiries among the cattle rassers
brings forth statements that most
cattle in the southwest are in such
good condition, or viii be by the time
the fan shipping season arrives that
a great majority will be sent direct
to market and not to Kansas grass
for feed as was heretofore customary.
Of course. il is hard to say just
how many cattle are on the ranges AT
the present time. speaking OF the dis
trict covered by this association, but
an average Of answers given 70 Quer-
les shows an average Of about so per
cent Of the number a year ago.
Recently there has Deen quite an
agitation on the question OF govern
ment control OF the packing inter
ests. not limiting the control to the
packing houses alone, but making II
cover st0ckyards and Refrigerator
cars as well. This is a very complex
question, and from what I can gather
from the raisers Of cattle I would say
that they are not very rapid IN their
declarations against their friends. the
packers Most Of them feel. however,
that the packers are protesting too
much against government Ontrol OF
the business. because II the packers
claims TO such small margin OF
profit are true. then government con-
troll could work no hardship on them,
and once their claims are verified,
most likely the government would
cease to control
Department Favors Control.
THAT our government is in favor
OF such control seems to be verified
by the fact that the week s news let
ter form the department Of agricul-
ture at Washington, signed BY Car
encs Ousley. acting secretary, states
that the United States should super
wise the meat industry. and in several
columns Of reading matter and iig-
ures shows the variations in prices for
the past u months and the decline in
prices ranges from 5 to 10 cents per
pound Here is what the secretary
while live cattle and wholesale
dressed beef markets have gone down
to the extent Of IS percent, the price
Of retail cuts TO the beef consumer has
been increased as much as ~ per cent
on some cuts in some cities. where
retail prices have been reduced, the
usually are only 8 to
cents per pound, which means only
about 10 per cent reduction from
prices prevailing March L The de-
partment has not the time in this
emergency to do more than to pre-
sent these outstanding facts, but thus
presented the facts demonstrate
clearly the commanding need for gov
eminent supervision over the manu-
facture, sale and distribution OF meat
products.
Federal supervision OF the inter-
state industry may well be accomp1n-
led by state and municipal legisla-
ton providing supervision over intra-
state and local industry, to the end
that federal, state and municipal su-
pervision map be correlated for the
prevention Of Unfair dealings specu- I
latiOn and profiteering by furnish
ing to the public from unimpreach-
able sources al the facts with regard
to the industry from the farm TO the
table In order that both producer and
consumer may have a square deal"
! believe that IL the retail price
On meats had been reduced in the same
amount to the consumer, the cattle
men would be better satisfied to stand
the loss which has been imposed on
them by this depreciation in prices.
Not a few have suffered and will SUI
fer more because the prices which the
fat cattle are now bringing on the
market exclusive Of the expense OF
feeding and transportation is less
than the original price pail for same
In speaking OF the association in
particular It Is in better financial
condition than it has been for several
years and we are expecting a large
in membership and more sat
.sfaction among its members, owing
10 the fact that at our last convention
We adopted a budget system which Is
working very nicely"
Outlook f. Excellent.
Sizing up the general situation. and
giving his observations or range con-
litions in three southwestern state, E. /
VI. Mckenzie said.
The cattlemen OF the southwest
VIII not make any money this year,
lut they are IN condition to make [
money from next year on. This year
he drouth Is broken and the outlook /
or the revival Of good times in the |
lattle business Is excellent
The range Is simply fine in most /
larrs OF New Mexico. Arizona and /
Texas The grass is plentiful and 4
conditions are good. Arizona has had I
more rain than II has had in years, /
md the conditions are corresponding /
) better In a large part Of the /
Sew Mexico range country, it has /
aimed or showed nearly every week /
his year.
This southwestern country produ- I
.es the big end Of the stockers for
ne northwest It is the present place 4
u production of cattle that 20 to
eeding grounds Of the north and
northwest to be turned into beef.
There viii be range here now for
long time II ranchers don't over
iext three years with the natural in
reaSe OF herds
Range Only Half Stocked.
The range Is about half stocked. I
Ee don't need any cattle brought in
he ranches VIII raise enough cattle
o stock the range in two pears. The
al crop this year has been fair. and
VII be unusually large next year.
II we can get three more good (
ears we viii have this country wei
locked, and the COW man viii be
ut Of debt and IN better shape than
e was before the drouth. All over
ne country the cows are fat and con-
itions are fine for a heavy calf crop
ext year Just now calves known
s 'vealers,' that is, three and four
months old calves. are selling for
lore than yearlings- We are gong
o continue 10 have fewer cattle II
he price OF calves stays up. But 1
Understand that the packers and the
oTernment are trying to discourage
he shipping OF calves to the market
The losses We had in Texas, Ari-
ona and New Mexico. during the
outh were due 70 importing too many
alL4e from Mexico during the past
i've years The Importation OF these
attle overstocked the country. and
-hen the dry spells came there was
o place for people to take their cat
L. All the ranges which were usual
: open were full
Mexico Cause of Trouble
You NAV hear DeOuIa talking a houf Z
be Mexican situation From the cat
.eman-s s-andnolnf- II the 49, |.