The border vidette., 1920-09-25
THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.
Stock Raising in Arizona Is on the Decline, Says Schneider.

DeCIine, says SCnneIGer-
 Phoenix-Stock raising in Ari- zona is on the decline and faces utter ruin unless the near future brings a remedy for prevailing conditions, according to a state ment of F. E. Schneider, secre- tary of the Arizona Cattle Grow CTS Association.
 He attributes the state of the industry in Arizona to lack of markets, decreasing production, low prices compared to other products, increased cost of ma terials and wages, persistent eff forts to antagonize the cattle in dustry by imposing unreasonable high rates of grazing and an effort to discourage rather than encourage production in the state.
 MT. Schneider quotes g. trade letter in support of the conten- tion that the price paid produc- CTS for meat animals has not kept pace with the rising price of other products. According to the letter 'the average price paid to producers for the princi- pal crops on July l, was 21 per cent high gher than a year ago, 37 per cent higher than two years ago and 1O3 per cent higher than ten years average"
 The average price paid to producers for meat animals and poultry on June 15, was IS per cent less than a year ago, 10 per cent less than two years ago and only 39 per cent higher than the ten years average.
 It is evident that these fig ures which are verified by the federal government, that we are now in the midst of the lowest meat prices we are likely to have for years to cOme."
 Cattle raising in the western states and especially in Arizona, is on the decline. MT. Schnei- der declared that in view of these figures showing the cattle are com handing not nearly the prices in proportion to agricul- tural products and the further cause of financial Stringency, most of the stockmen of the state were unable to dispose of their steers last spring. There was no market for them and no loosening of credit so that cattle men are now facing a condition that will throw many of them out of business unless some re lief is obtained.
 Thn Co GrounrS' oScocio tiOu has been working to obtain this relief but so far has met with no success. A telegram was recently sent w. P. e. Hard ing, governor of the federal re- serve board at Washington, calling to his attention the in creasingly deplorable conditions of cattle raising in Arizona and the fact that the banks seem compelled to refuse a renewal of loans or to grant additional calls for money for operating expense to the cattlemen.
 In reply to this Mir. Harding assured the association that the federal reserve banks are doing and are willing to continue to do everything possible to aid mem Der banks in cattle raising dis tricts to finance cattle raisers, but the federal reserve banks cannot make direct loans to bor- rowers, and can only discount for member banks, upon their endorsement eligible loans which they have made. Regretting the situation, he points out that the federal reserve banks and the board are unable to do more than is permitted by law.
 Since the banks are handicap ped the only remedy in sight. MT. Schneider declares, is "spe- cial consideration on the part of the government"