Cattle, Sheep and Swine Feeders' Association. 419 



pestilences of the past. It will prolong the season of scarcity 

 and at the same time add an extra hazard to the business of the 

 producer without compensating that class most intended to 

 help. 



The wisdom of placing live animals and meats upon the free 

 list by virtue of our latest tariff laws will be sorely tried, but 

 there are those who are unpatriotic enough to predict that the 

 worm will turn and that eventually prices will be higher rather 

 than lower. However this may be, it is within the memory of 

 all that when hides were placed upon the free list the manufac- 

 turers promised cheaper shoes and cheaper leather goods of all 

 kinds; but that elusive day is still to come, while another costly 

 experiment is to be tried. In matters of legislation, it seems 

 to me that we ought not to lose sight of the fact that a business 

 which means so much to the world should be rendered suffi- 

 ciently profitable and attractive that we may be able to stay 

 by it, and when our tenantry is ended we can pass it on to 

 future generations with its increment of food and possibilities 

 of happiness to bless mankind. 



If normal conditions prevailed and the American producer 

 were permitted to enjoy the privilege of home markets undis- 

 turbed by foreign competition, no doubt the year before us 

 would be abundantly prosperous. But with conditions con- 

 fronting us it is unwise to discount the situation, and I doubt 

 not but that we will have to cudgel our brains to devise some 

 way to successfully meet the changes that have been wrought. 



Much speculation is being indulged and volumes of gra- 

 tuitous advice given as to how we should meet the problems of 

 our existence in this new year. One fact is quite evident. If 

 we are to successfully compete with the beef of Argentine, the 

 mutton of Australia and the bacon from China we will need to 

 utilize the cheaper feedstuffs upon our farms. Corn alone is 

 the most extravagant feed in the world, while silage, cowpeas, 

 clover hay and alfalfa, with a moderate amount of corn and 

 cottonseed meal, will go a long way towards reducing the cost of 

 production. The crime of our age is the waste of high-priced 

 feeds by getting indifferent results. It is said that we feed the 

 machine too much fuel for the results attained. It takes 400 

 tons of coal to drive an ocean liner 20 knots per hour and 200 

 tons to make one additional knot. So with the machine which 

 we feed, we should give enough fuel and of the right kind to get 

 the maximum of gain at the minimum cost. 



