The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1936-07-02

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which gives one an idea of the eagerness with which
the stock shippers of Argentina will grasp easier
trade conditions under Reciprocal Treaty with the
United States.
We, the undersigned, who have spent around
twenty-five years each in farming and livestock
feeding in this community and deriving our income
directly from the soil mot being of the swivel chair
type of farmer-will try to give viewpoints.
The supporters of the. Treaty. claim that the i'm
ports coming in from Canada only amount approx
imately per cent of the cattle slaughtered in
this country Whether this be true not, the vast
train loads of cattle coming onto the northern
markets from Canada are having decided effect
the butcher steer price, since about 95 per cent
of the Canadian imports are in that class.
The Canadian farmer is close neighbor and
has the same principle of farming we have so
the tendency is for him to sell his products at the
same time that the Middle West farmer is selling
his cattle, so this Canadian surplus crowds in the
market to compete at the very when it is
the most damaging to Nearly two-thirds of the
years quota imported in the first five months
of 1886.
One Monday recently, we were at the South st.
Paul market and this the development that day,
and it was just typical Monday market since the
treaty went lnCO erect. Inc recelpCS were 0,lUU
head of cattle of which 1O4 carloads were Canadian
cattle, practically half of the days receipts.
Furthermore large percentage of the native stock
was of the thin dairy type leaving the Canadian
cattle to dominate the butcher steer market. What
happened to the price? It went down 25 to so cents
This picture is not great exception but is repeat
eddy happening every week.
Since the Canadian Treaty went into effect
January 1, the imports of Canadian cattle into the
United States up to June 1 amounted to 1854
head Estimating 1000 steers to the train this
means 10 trainloads of Canadian cattle the
northern markets since the first of the year.
Mr. Livestock Farmer Of the Midwest, are you
going to let the defenders of the Canadian Reciprocal
Treaty tell that ITO trainloads Of cattle dumped
to the markets have no effect on our livestock
prices? You know differently!
The South ST. Paul Reporter quotes Chester C.
Davis stating in address to dairymen at Uni
versity Farm June 5 that imports of Canadian cat
tie since the treaty have been but "a drop in the
bucket on the United States markets. where prices
have steadily risen in the face of new imports"
Thse imports may have been only "drop in the
bucket" in Mr.. Davis vew but to the cattle feeder
the drop" has been big enough to make his feed
lot muddy place in which to try to show profit
for this year.
Results of experimental cattle feeding at the
University Farm, St. Paul, have demonstrated that
the past season has been the least profitable to
feeders since 1920. Bulletins just issued by the
University Farm show comparative results with last
year. For feeding period of 1853 days from Dec
cember IL, 1884 to May %, 1885, four lots SO
head of cattle are shown with profit on every lot
and an average profit of 1892 per head
The bulletins show that for feeding
period of 157 days from November II, 1885 until
Anr; Gx,o1 ofe booL 80 che 81
loss on every lot and an average loss of $40 per
head This also is good picture of the farmers
feedlot operations which mean that the feeder of
cattle has had his purchasing power destroyed and
is out of the market purchaser of industrial
goods.
AS to comparative market prices the average
price for beef steers and yearlngs the South ST.
Paul market for April and May, 1885 was $9.9S,
while the months this year the average was
$7.27, an average decline of $2.71 per hundred.
We realize that not all of the drop we quoted
on cattle is due to the Canadian imports; but we
have it from some of the best authorities on the
market that it has affected the prices the extent
of $1.U0 per hundred the U. S. markets which is
equal to the reduction of tariff. This shows that
che importing of one per cent of cattle into this
country has had the tendency to lower the prices
on fat steers.
1t should be remembered too that the South ST.
Paul market is IN line with other big markets in
spite of large Canadian receipts. The imports re-
fleet themselves over the entire marketing system
in the u S. It is interesting to note that on GER
tain classes which have no Canadian competition
such bologna bulls all classes of cows, feeding
cattle and veals, the market prices have not been
effected
One of the principal arguments for the agri-
cultural policies which have been adopted in this
country the past few years is that the "exportable
surplus" of product depresses the price on the
entire quantity of that particular commodity. If
that is true is it not plain that imports of Cana
dian cattle, adding to large production, are
bound to have depressing effect on all classes
coming into that competition?
How can accept the idea that the American
farmer must reduce his production to avoid ex-
portable SURPRISES and then make ourselves believe
that we are not getting trimming when we invite
heavier competition Of cattle from Canada and other
countries?
The principle back of the new Trade Treaties
is that they are ReciprocaEa give and take propo-
sition, but the farmer is being made the goat The
"give" is mostly his products. Since 'giving"
is in order is the time for livestock feeders to
give their opinions cattle imports
Signed: William Green, Redwood county; R. c.