TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 455 



port from Minneapolis and another from Chicago, and there was a differ- 

 ence of 25 cents on the very same grades of wool. When such variations 

 as that occur how is the grower to know the value of his own product? 



The wool market has been a closed book. Through the farm bureau 

 and the Ames College we have been trying to open this book and post 

 ourselves in regard to the actual value of the commodity we are produc- 

 ing. We believe we are entitled to the cost of production and a reasonable 

 profit in addition. 



This organization has been attacked from every side. It has its draw- 

 backs. It may be lost sight of, it may change form, but an organization 

 that advocates the marketing of an honest package direct from the pro- 

 ducer to the consumer cannot be destroyed and will not be destroyed. 

 Ultimately it will be used in the foundation of a more perfect marketing 

 system. 



ADDRESS BY H. C. WALLACE 

 SECRETARY IOWA CORN BELT MEAT PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION 



Gentlemen : 



I am glad to be with you. Mr. Coverdale asked me to come before you 

 and say something about the battles of the live stock shippers, by which, 

 of course, he meant something of the fight made by the Corn Belt Meat 

 Producers' Association. 



To tell the whole story of the Association would take a good deal more 

 time than you would feel like giving. So I will touch on a few of the high 

 spots, so you will understand the work it has been doing. I think this 

 ought to be of interest to you, because if I read aright your purposes you 

 will have to carry on this work, and you are better qualified to do it than 

 any other organization. 



The Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association was organized in 1905. The 

 thing which brought it about was the notice served by the railroad people 

 that they intended to discontinue giving stock shippers the return pass. 

 That led to a meeting of shippers here in Des Moines. They formed a 

 sort of temporary organization. A committee was appointed to go to 

 Chicago and confer with the railroad management, and another commit- 

 tee was named and instructed to get busy at once with the Iowa legis- 

 lature. 



The committee that went to Chicago met the railroad management and 

 told them: "This return pass is necessary to live stock shippers. It is 

 important to shippers that they go to the stockyards with their stock in 

 order to know that it is properly sold, and to get some idea of the trend of 

 the market, so they will know more about their operations in the future. 

 We don't want you to take away the return pass. It is a part of the 

 freight rate. We regard it as necessary and important to enable the ship- 

 per to keep in touch with the market, and if you withdraw the pass you 

 should reduce the rate." 



In the meantime we had a law put through the Iowa legislature to 

 provide a return pass. That could only apply to the state of Iowa, but it 

 had a wholesome effect and the return pass was restored. 



