PROCEEDINGS CORN BELT MEAT PRODUCERS' ASSN. 501 



"That the officials of the National Live Stock and Meat Board be a chair- 

 man, a vice-chairman, a secretary and a treasurer, chosen by the board 

 from its members. 



"Respectfully submitted, 



"E. L. BURKE, Chairman. 



"W. J. CARMICHAEL. 



"A. SYKES. 



"A. C. WILLIAMS. 



"F. EDSON WHITE. 



"THOMAS E. WILSON." 



Digressing again from this printed report, I wish to say that this is a 

 matter that has been up for consideration during the past year. A num- 

 ber of conferences have been held on this question. There has been some 

 difference of opinion among the representatives of the live stock interests 

 as to the advisability of this movement. Some had objected to it on ac- 

 count of the fact that they felt we might in some way get tied up too 

 closely with the "packers, and that the packers would dominate this whole 

 thing. Of course, that is one thing that we have tried to guard against 

 in the formation of this national board, as you will recognize right to 

 start with. The producers have eleven men on that board, and on the 

 executive committee they have four men and the packers have one, so 

 that we think that the producers' interests are fully protected under this 

 plan as worked out by this committee. 



Now, you may think it strange why I am presenting this matter to this 

 convention in this way, but you understand that I didn't bind this organi- 

 zation by signing this report or plan as president of this organization. 

 Not by any means! That is very clearly understood! This plan is to be 

 presented to the various stock organizations in their annual meetings, 

 and, fortunately, we happen to be the first organization holding its annual 

 meeting after this plan was worked out and submitted by this committee 

 on the 4th of December, last, and that is the reason that I am presenting 

 it to you here today, not only as members of the Corn Belt Meat Produc- 

 ers' Association, but as live stock men representing the Cooperative Ship- 

 pers, because it is a problem that we all are vitally interested in. If you 

 don't want these organizations to cooperate in a movement of this kind, 

 that is up to the convention, of course, to say so when the proper time 

 comes, and that is the reason that I have incorporated this whole plan in 

 my address in this way, so that you may have it before you and note 

 what the thought is, just what it contains, what the idea is, and every- 

 thing and all about it. The packers are paying the same price that we 

 are — that is, they pay 5 cents a car. They entered into an agreement to 

 pay 5 cents a car for all of the stuff that they buy. Five cents a car is 

 taken out of our shipments as the producers when we ship it to the mar- 

 kets, and in this way it is proposed that this fund shall be secured to 

 finance this campaign of advertising to increase the consumption of meat. 



At the time of your last annual meeting, there were a number of impor- 

 tant matters pending, among which was the appointment of a live stock 

 marketing committee by President Howard of the American Farm Bureau, 

 the hearings on a complaint asking for lower freight rates on live stock. 



