The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-09
Industry Back to Normally,
Says Thos. e. Wilson.
Prices Have Become More
Completely Dependable.
LOWER PRICES TO CONSUMER
Tremendous Readjustment Dur
ing Past Few Years.
Big Reductions Shown in
Wholesale Quotations.

Chicago. Oct. 9.-The meat pack
ing business has returned to normalcy
and the industry, the largest single
| industry in the United States If not
the world, is in better position today.
despite present problems, than 1t has
been for several years, according to
Thomas E. Wilson, president of the
institution of American meat packers
| in addressing that organization in
seventeenth annual convention here
today. Wholesale meat prices have re-
turned to pre-war figures, meat val
ues have become virtually stable and
production in the packing houses-the
nations meat mark cts has got back
| to normal. the speaker said.
A half billion dollar decrease in ex-
ports or a 20 per cent shrinkage in
export values for three years. ana a
billion and quarter decrease in
poundage, or 40 per cent. indicated
the tren endous re-adjustment of
trade in the packing and livestock in
Idustry, Mr.. Wilson said.
! The institute is expected to take
action tomorrow on a platform for
the ultimate establishment of n ma
ional education institution offering
specialized collegiate instruction TO
young men intending to enter the
packing business and correspondence
and extension courses for those AL
lready engaged n the business as well
las the founding of a technical re-
search institute and an industrial mu-
lseum. 81
Values Are Stable.
Concerning the adjustment and
present situation in the packing bust
ness Mr.. Wilson said:
The first big fact is that the levels
or meat values have become practical
tiy stable. I don't mean, of course,
that values are what they should be,
dr
passed the time when the last reported
sales created radically changed values.
Probably no packing company will
hail 1922 as a banner year, but 1t can
at least be said that our sales, on the
whole, have established a speaking
acquaintance with our costs plus ex-
Il 1penses. Values have become more
completely dependable, more nearly
stable"
Statistics presented by Mr.. Wilson
showed that the wholesale price of the
best grade of beef in Chicago for the
week of. September 80. 1919, was 23.5
cents pound impaired with IFS for
the week of September 80 this year:
carcass veal was 29.5 against 17.5
cents; pork loins, 3S against 29 cents:
leaf lard. 20 compared with IL cents:
spare ribs. g against II cents, and
smoked hams, 34.S against 23.6 cents.
Market for Farmers.
Values have not been stabilized by
cutting down production" Mr.. Wilson
said. 1.-THE packers have furnished a
lspot cash market for all meat animals
lshipped by the farmer for slaughter.
During that part of the year 1929
which has gone, the packer has done
q volume of business which is fully
normal"
He submitted figures to show that
animals slaughtered under federal In
spection from January l to August 1
in 1913, 1921 and 1922, compared n }
follows:
Cattle-3s39,9s1 in 1913, 4,21s,755
in 1921, 4.5ss,2O7 in 1927.
Sheep-7,S7O. 10000 in 1913, 1900
in 1921, 6,170.S17 in 1922.
Hogs-19.9s7.060 in 1913, 2s,s09,-
$50 in 1921. 24.617.37s In 1922.
Exports Are Down.
In commenting on the export situa-
ltion. Mr.. Wilson said:
! In the calendar year. 1919, the
meat products exported weighed
. t3,242, ,603,537 pounds ana a value of
$9S5.011.33O, according TO the United
States department of commerce.; ex-
ports of meat products in the last cali
eEdar year weighed I.y45, ,660210
pounds and had a value of only $751;
67O, $780,"
He added. however. that present ex-
ports were not abnormany small COM
| pared to pre-war figures, using stalls
tics for the first seven months, of each
year to show that exports in 1913
were 799. .059.455 pounds of a value
OF s92 .593,979, while for the same Pc
riod in 1922 they aggregated $751;
SSS'a1S pounds of value of siss,-
The annual production of the pack
ing business, Mr.. Wilson said, constf-
tuted about 7 per cent of the value
of the annual production of all indus
tries in the United States