The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-03
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKrN. Director,
Washington, d. G.
THE WORRIED CATTLEMEN.

establishment of municipal meat mar
kets in American cities. where, by
some plan of cooperation between the
| cattlemen, the packers and the munic-
| ipal governments, beef can be sold to
the people at fair prices of which the
cattlernen will get fair share-that
| is the most interesting constructive
| suggestion which has emerged from
| the present confusion of the livestock
business.
| This suggestion seems to have orig
| mated at the recent convention of the
| American National Livestock associa-
| ton in FL Paso where the principal
cattle growers of America met to dis
cuss their serious troubles. The bot
| tom is falling out Of the market for
| their product, the country is being
4 flooded with cheap meats and hides
| from the Argentine, Mexico, Australia,
| and other foreign parts, and many of
the weaker growers face bankruptcy.
| It is evident that the stockmen have
done some deep thinking since the
collapse of war time prices. And if
| they have not formulated a complete
least reached some interesting conclu-
| sions.
The stockmen seem agreed that
their industry faces a crisis and that
radical measures are necessary to save
| it. They seem further agreed that
|
| dropped nearly as fast nor as far as
the prices which they are getting for
cattle on the hoof In this conclu-
sion almost every retail buyer of
| meats, such as you and /, will agree
with them.
Cut Out Middlemen.
From this they deduce that the
proper way to make cattle raising
profitable for the ranchman and meat
cheap for the consumer is to simplify
distribution, eliminate large numbers
of n1iddlemen, and so bring those two
sufferers. the producer and the con-
sumner, closer together
Hence the suggestion for municipal
markets. A committee was appointed
by the stockmen to confer with gov
eminent experts in the bureau of
markets of the department of agricul-
ture and evolve a definite plan.
The other ideas evolved by the cat
tlemen were not so original. They
want protective tariff on meat and
cattle, altho they seem to realize that
this is not real solution of their
problem, but merely a palliative.
They want the government to regu-
late the packers, but they are opposed
to the Gronna bill which would form
government livestock commission
There is a general conviction among
the cattlemen that they should be
given some form of protection from
tAo lHIIuX OI foreign cattle ana meat.
one hears men describe themselves as
protection Democrats" The cause
OF most OF the present trouble is the
enormous importation of Canadian
and Mexican cattle. Argentine beef,
and Australian and New Zealand
lamb.
When it comes to the question of
marketing cattle. and handling stock
yards. there is a wide difference of
opinion. This was brought to a focal
point by the discussion over the bill
introduced in the United States sem
ate by Senator Gronna of North Da-
kota. Briefly this bill proposes a fed
eral livestock commission to regulate
and control the entire industry. in
cries.
This proposal is offered on the
ground that it, would do nothing to
stimulate production, equalize re-
celpts, or encourage the consumption
or meat. Further, there is a decided
Ieeling against taking the experienced
packers out or the packing business
ana putting this most important phase
OF the industry in the hands of poll
t1c1ans or directly under their orders
and directions. The cattleman saws
that the packers bear down unduly on
him at times, but that the packer
knows his business and can talk tn
ana do business with the grower as no
outsider can
The cattleman's point of view is con-
dit1oned more and more by the fact
mat ne Is a heavy investor. All the
ranches of the west and southwest are
under fence, the cattle are highly bred
from the best imported stock, and be-
cause Of these investments the cattle
are cared for on the ranch almost as
closely as the cattle on the farms in
lilnols and Iowa. 1t is no longer pos
s1bie for the stockman to conduct his
business with bank book and a good
memory In fact, on the big ranches
the accounting system is as thoro as
IN any other business. To add to the
present problems, cattle cannot be
cattle country to another when feed is
short, as in the old days. The present
type of grade cattle cannot be sent
over the long drives of several hum
dred miles, and the advance in railroad
rates, makes shipping the growing cat
tie poor investment. So the stock |
man buys feed and oil cake to keep
mis- stock alive during the drouths and
bad weather, fills their hides as tight |
as he can and hopes for the best For |
this is the business of hope. There is
is no other just like it.
A Guarantee Fund.
The California cattlemen have an
association which aimsN to stabilize |
prices SO far as the producer is con-
cerned. They have created a guaran- |
tee fund of a quarter of a million dol |
lars and have a committee to make 4 |
of livestock, instruct the |
of certain grades at speci- |
fled times, and fix a minimum price |
to be received for them. If the actual |
sale is made for less, the difference Is
paid to the producer from the guaran-
tee fund. If he receives more than the |
guarantee, he pays one-half of the |
excess into the fund and retains the |
other half. The main object is to keep |
the stock moving in a regulated way
so as to avoid glutted markets and to |
get a reasonable price for the grower. |
there is a constant cam
paign within the association for grow |
ing only the very best grades and |
them to market in the most |
salable condition. This seems to be |
about what the organized fruit grow |
ers have been doing so successfully for !
years.
Claim Oil Displaces Meat.
The cattlemen ask urgently for the |