Imperial Valley press., 1929-08-15
| (4%qL:1NGst{Qck

principal also governed the commit
tees action in recommending an
increased duty on livestock. Mani
festly, the purpose of this is to pro-
tect one of our greatest fundamental
industries and. an industry upon
which successful agriculture has al
ways depended.
There is a natural difference of
viewpoint between the producer and
the ultimate consumer which can
only be abridged by complete un-
derstanding of our underlying struc-
ture, and we must harken to the fact
that agricultural success is essential
to our national welfare. Our ability
to employ labor and the efficiency
of labor depend upon the ability of
the farmer to buy manufactured pro-
ducts and to furnish an adequate
food supply.
The plowshare turned out of an
eastern steel plant must eventually
find its wav to the western farm.
So, at the outset we must agree that
agriculture and industry are init
matelv and inseparably associated.
Prices on everything we use have
greatly advanced in recent years. On
the other hand, these advances have
been generally met by increased in
come. Thus we find relativity.
Supply and demand will always
regulate the ebb and flow of prices.
Meat food products are sold in com
petition with every other kind OF
food product, one balancing the 9th
er as to price possibilities and a
surplus of any one thing is likely to
bring down the price of other food
products: so there is a decided limit
in the selling price of beef, pork and
mutton.
1t is reasonable to assume that the
increased duty on hides will be di-
rectly reflected in the live stock in
dustry of this country because it is
important in determining the amount
of money obtained for the merchant
able products of the bullock.
The packer supposedly buys his
live stock to the best advantage and
sells his product to the best ad-
vantage The thing that inf fluences
the packer in his daily purchase is
"what will the meat cost on the
hook 20 and this is determined by
deducting the market value of the
offal, including the hide, so that the
money the hide sells for the less the
cost of the meat ON the hook. The
packer sells the meat to the consum-
ing trade, realizing all that he caa
for his product and what he receives
constitutes the market price for such
products.
If the hides sell at low. price 1T
adds to the cost of the meat on the
hook and the difference must be
absorbed by the remaining products,
if a loss is to be avoided. Assum
ing that the increased duty on hides
really means an increased cost of
leather goods, is it not best that
this increase should be made IN ar
tcles of occasional purchase rather
than in our daily meat food ration'
The cattle interests of the country
appreciated the fact that without
increased tariff on hides, the pack
er would Immediately be confront
ed with loss in the sale of the hide
and that this would work hardship
on the industry, undoubtedly result
ing In less purchasing power-tend-
inc to create surplus out Of what
would ordinarily be a normal supply.
Price slumps logically follow sur
pluses and are most keenly felt by
the farmer Thus the conclusion
seems justified that the better the
outlet for all of the products of the
animal leach one carrying its share
Of the oad) the nearer the packer
can come to an equitable, distribu-
tion Of costs and stabilization of
| his business, all of which goes to
the point of sustained purchasing
/ power.
The tanner also supposedly buys
the hides to the best advantage and
sells the leather to the best advan-
! tage; meeting the competition OF
many socalled substitutes for leath-
er, including the snake family, par
| ticularly in the manufacture or
shoes: so that the tanner has very
little to say about the price of leath-
! er.
The laws Of supply and demand
still prevail and govern every fea-
ture connected with live stock pro
duction and the distribution of meat
food products and while we may not
be. able to find the increased duty
! branded on each hide of the critter
purchased from day TO day. vet we
know that it is a material factor
and one Of great benefit to the IN
dnstry as a whole.
1t is good business to protect our
basic industries and we should en-
deavor to strengthen the public con