The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-09
J. III. Mercer Tells Butchers of
State to Reorganize,
Address OF Livestock Assoeia.
ton Secretary by Proxy.
MUST CUT THE OVERHEAD
Urges Home Preparation Of
Meats for Farmers.
Wants to Push Propaganda
Against Yegetarians.

Manhattan. Kan June s.-Declar-
ing that retail meat prices are too high
and that a reorganization of the butch
ct business Is inevitable, J H Mercer.
secretary of the Kansas Livestock as
ISOLATION, advocated regulation OF the
number OF butcher shops which should
operate in each community. in an a6-
dress before the ninth annual conyen-
ton of the Kansas Butchers associa-
ton which closed here today
The address was delivered by proxy
as Mr. Mercer was called to chicago
10 assist in the fight before the inter
state commerce commission to obtain
reduced livestock freight rates
The real cause Of dissatisfaction
just now which has provoked univer-
sal criticism of the butcher business
is The price charged for meat" Mer-
Ger declared in his prepared address
There exists today too great a spread
in prices between the livestock market
and the kitchen
Il am not one who believes that
every butcher Is getting rich and that
| he is holding up the public. During
the last few years. however, / do know
of q number of instances where new
| beginners have become financially in
dependent
They Get Together.
Instead Of each shop selling meat
| at prices which viii make that shop
| a reasonable profit, the butchers often
get together and agree upon q sched-
ule of prices which will protect the
weak and struggling shops and allow
/ them to exist but which Is really too
| high for the better esta biished shops
Your organization I believe, can
| Go much 10 correct this evil by adopt
! ing a policy of wedding out the super
| fluous shops and d5scouraging the in
stallation Of more shops in localities
where there is already q sufficient
number This idea IS similar to the
state banking law which arbitrarily
regulates the number OF banks in a
community. The communitys inter
Tests are considered under this law and
think the same principle should ap-
ply to the distributors OF foodstuffs-
including butchers
Must Cut Overhead.
NY idea is to reduce the overhead
land thereby make il possible TO dis
Tribute meat at prices which viii be
nearer those the producer receives for
Ibis livestock I would advocate
wherever possible. the installation OF
meat shops in retail grocery establish
rnentS. or 10 put II another way. let the
butcher broaden his business and dis
most instances this will do much 10
lower the overhead costs
In replying to the question: Should
4 the livestock producer go into the re-
tail meat business secretary Mercer
in his message TO the butchers said:
| while ! am not going to advocate,
as q general proposition that the pro-
Queer go into the retail business, do
believe he should prepare his own
meat and even supply the needs of his
Ineighbors. Community butchering Is
still common practice in some local-
tiles but in others I have found that
farmers have given up the practice OF
preparing their OWL meat. and are
buying it of the local butcher This is
without doubt peor management and
should be discourag ed- Il is not Geo.
nomicai TO ship our animals from one
hundred to four hundred miles to be
manufactured into meat and then
lship the carcasses back again for
food"
Urge Vegetation FaIlacy.
Secretary Mercer cePlored the de-
fcrease in domestic consumption 0.
meat brought about by abstaining dur
ling the war The butchers were urged
10 show the people the 'fallacy" Of &
vegetarian diet And IL was suggested
that they always have available q sup
Iply of the better grades OF beef
During the war We formed tbs
habit. which IS still fastened upon US
loS existing on too low a meat diet
Mercer said American families wert
taught TO use what is niscailed 'mea'
tsubstitutes.' for in reality there is II
freal substitute for meat"