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Show fLivestoclc jBSituatiorbl . r While there has been a great deal written and said about the Capper-Hope Capper-Hope bill amending- the federal packers pack-ers and stock yards act, the truth of the matter is that the bill is intended entirely as a means of granting further fur-ther protection to the stockman. The avowed purpose of the bill is simply this: First, to amend the act so as to bring all packers under jurisdiction of the federal government; second, to place under supervision of the United States department of agriculture all places where livestock is purchased, subject to certain very important exception. ex-ception. The principal exception is that the bill does not apply to sales at the farm or ranch, notwithstading frequent statements to the contrary. Some producers have registered objection ob-jection to provisions of the bill which would place under supervision railroad rail-road corrals where it has been the custom to sort and weigh. My personal per-sonal judgment is that there should be and doubtless will be some modification modi-fication of that feature so as not to unduly penalize certain localities where it is necessary to sort and weigh. On the other hand, consideration considera-tion must be given to the use of railroad rail-road corrals, commercial feedlots and concentration yards where the actual bargaining as well as sorting and weighing takes place. That to my mind constitutes a complete transaction transac-tion and the producer is entitled to the protection that would be rendered render-ed by the federal agency. It seems to me that in every consideration of the act, it should be remembered that the sole purpose of the legislation is to further guarantee fair play and honest practice to the producer who uses the facilities. The packers and stock yards act places all central markets under complete com-plete federal supervision, this in order to prevent fraudulent and deceptive practices and to assure the producer correct sales and weighing by neutral parties and to guarantee that the grower gets his money. If it was good business to place the central markets under such supervision super-vision and no one will argue that point it seems equally reasonable to ', extend that protection of the grower ! by proper regulations and supervision I at other trading places which have de-I de-I veloped so rapidly during recent years. When the act was passed by j the congress, major livestock markets ! were placed under supervision because be-cause practically all of livestock buy-' buy-' ing and selling was transacted at those markets. But as trading at j smaller yards and corrals increased, it is very apparent that the wfll of j congress to protect the producer has in a sense been circumvented. I have always maintained that the right of the grower to sell at his own j ranch is inherent and should not be , abridged. Rules of grading, recording and reporting of sales, proper super- vision to safeguard transactions and assure honesty and fair practice are j important factors. Furthermore, b-. censing and bonding of buyers to safeguard the growers' interest seems desirable no matter where the transaction trans-action takes place. Many of our western west-ern growers have suffered severe financial fin-ancial losses by selling to irresponsi- ble traders whose checks were found ! wanting. Why shouldn't the grower be protected ? The statement has often been made : that the real purpose of the Capper-: Capper-: Hope bill was to force all livestock to move through the central markets. That is far from fact and not by any means the intention of the bill nor can ! its wording be so construed. My advice -to those interested is to get an actual copy of the Capper-i Capper-i Hope bill from your congressman. Read it carefully and then form your i own opinion as to how it may affect ' your operations. It seems very clear ! to me that to fight passage of the bill is to prevent needed legislation to as-: as-: sure fair practice and honest trading. |