Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-20
DROUGHT |MPER|LS
FARM PROSPERITY
Shortage of Feed May. Force
SIaughtering of Thousands
of Cattle on Ranges.
BY j. C. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK, August 20.-Shortage
of feed in the pastures and on the
ranges of some sections of the Mid
die West is threatening the financial
position and probable purchasing pow
err of the farmers. Unless some relief
is provided by transportation and Fed
eral authorities. grain growers as
we'll as stock raisers will be involved,
according to agricultural authorities
The grass is drying up in Kansas
and PARTS of Oklahoma, according to
reports received by telegraph today
from Midwestern centers. There are
hundreds of thousands of cattle on
grass in Kansas and Oklahoma. III
the drought continues many or these
cattle must be sold or transported 10
ranges and feed lots where forage is
more plentiful. If they are sold they
will glut the markets of the Mlddie
West and materially reduce the VOL,
ume of cash received by growers anu
correspondingly lessen the purchasing
power of the district.
Turn Corn Into Meat.
IF these animals are thrown on the
market and slaughtered. it also Will
tend to reduce the number which orol-
narilv would be Finished on corn.
II IS in the form of cattle ana hoss
that farmers market their corn crop
in most instances. They turn the
corn into meat, and. under the prices
which have been prevailing. TINS mas
proved profitable in spite or the III"
price of feed grains. -.
So far this year the price oi
tie and hogs has been such that inc
farmers were able to secure satlsls
Ing profits in most cases. But IL ma ma.
kets are glutted and cattle are market
ed in an indiscriminate manner, prices
according to live stock men. Will oe-
cline to a, point where profit margins
will be wiped out. The experts ue
clare that the factor which has helo
the price of live stock up mas peeh
the fact that there has been no sur
nlus of cattle which seemed likely to
come on the market.
Railroad representatives are TO-DAY
comforting with commission men ana
bankers in Kansas City and otner
live stock centers regarding the IN
stallation Of special emergency
freight rate on cattle which would en-
able Kansas and Oklahoma growers TO
transport their animals to ranges In
are obtained the general opinion in
the section seems to be that the cattle
will go to the slaughter pens rather
than the feed lots. It is expected that
reduction of 80 to 35 per cent in
rates will be asked for.
Other States Hit.
Drought has also caused consider
able injury to cattle and crops in Mon
tana Idaho and Neavda. but in those
sections the damage, it is believed,
will not prove excessive. In Colorado,
Wyoming. Arizona and New Mexico
reports indicate that growers will ex.
perience a year comparing favorably
with 1925.
The marketing of an unusual num-
Der of cattle might have some slight
effect on the leather industry. 1t is
not anticipated, however, that any ad
vance in hide prices will be sufficient
to stimulate the shoe industry, al
though increased production is ex
pected in that line. Footwear sales
have been improving and the factories
are reported to have made distinct
progress in promoting increased work.
er efficiency, thus lowering inspection
costs, which. it is claimed, are a heavy
factor in overhead.
The largest harness and saddlery
concern in America. and perhaps in
the world, is going out of business
This company supplied the American
Army with large part of it's leather
goods during the war and was founded
In 1879. In making the announcement
the officers of the compony said that
the decision to go out of business die
not come as a result of depression in
their line.