FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 11 



day of October, if I remember rightly, this same old lady, Dame Rumor, 

 spread the report that an agreement had been reached, and the war closed. 

 I started home by next train to market cattle as fast as human energy and 

 steam could get them in, but the speed of our stock trains was nothing in 

 comparison to the way the price of cattle went down. You can all recall the 

 condition of the market at the close of 1902 and the season of 1903, men of 

 courage and skill put time, money and care upon the altar of good faith, only 

 to be sacrificed by the greed of a monop jly that expects to filch unceasingly 

 from the larder of the producer. 



The past few years has seen a most wonderful advancement made in the 

 methods of feeding and the combinations of grains, that form the feeding 

 ration, and the apparent results as evidenced in the beef product. Our col- 

 leges have been of great assistance in determining many of these methods, 

 with some mistakes, I grant you, but on the whole a most wonderful advance- 

 ment. The transportation question is under advisement, and 1 trust will 

 reach satisfactory conclusions, as a better understanding is had of the needs 

 each for the other. It is time the people wakened up to the fact that they 

 have great interests at stake, as well as the railroads, and that their enter- 

 prise and labor made it possible for these traffic lines to be builded. Why 

 then, let me ask, is it unreasonable for us to ask to be represented in estab- 

 lishing rates used on these lines? Just at this time the question of enlarging 

 the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission is being urged upon 

 Congress. It finds its most bitter opposition, I am sorry to say, from men 

 whose constituencies are among the producers of the West. Let these men 

 remember the magnificent grants of land as well as taxes that have been 

 voted by the people, for the building of these roads, and then say, if they 

 can, the people have no right. There is a place where patience ceases to be 

 a virtue, and the patience of the producer has about reached its limit on 

 many of these questidns. We ask nothing unreasonable, we want no favors. 

 What we do want, and expect to obtain, is fair and impartial treatment with 

 no favors shown such corporations as Armour, Swift and other concerns, who 

 are able to dictate the rebates they are to receive for the privilege of furnishing 

 their own cars, and say just how they are to be handled. It is high time that 

 investigation along these lines, as well as many others , be made. In order that 

 this work may be carried on intelligently it is necessary to have a definite 

 understanding and a well aefined plan. The Corn Belt Meat Producers' 

 Association is organized for this purpose, and I respectfully urge everyone 

 interested in these questions to become a member of this association, and aid 

 by his good will and small per capita tax the solving of these problems. 



The last and most important factor of the feed yard business is the selling 

 price of the cattle, when placed upon the market As this is the most 

 important, it is also true that it is the one most manipulated, and about 

 which the least is known. The price of the feeding steer should be largely 

 controlled by the cost of production, and as roughage forms a greater part 

 of his feed the price naturally does not vary greatly. It is only in years like 

 1902 that a wide spread of prices is noted. The Drovers Journal recently 

 quoted the average price of feeders for 1902 at $5.15; in 1903 $3.65; 1904 

 $3.65 for range bred cattle. Years prior to 1902 the price maintained about 

 the same as 1903-4. The price of corn has been high for some years. As 

 the market for this product is continually widening it stands to reason that 



