Show ae divesto situation situ a los angeles october of 0 late there has been a great deal of 0 discussion regarding the question ot f marketing livestock through the open centgraf markets versus direct country selling this la Is really an important question and one that will have to be faced and dealt with the advocates ot of central marketing feel that it Is the most logical manner in which to form the contract between the livestock producer and the distributor of 0 meat food products it Is true from an economical standpoint that the central livestock market la Is soundly based upon the same principle that has proven so valuable in the centralization ot of other markets such as the grain exchange the security exchange cotton exchange and other open forums where buyers and sellers of various commodities may meet on neutral 9 ground round tor for the purpose of buying and selling upon price levels gauged by the natural laws ot of supply and demand so tar far as the open central livestock markets are concerned they have ot of couse gone a step beyond this in having their operation under federal and state regulation with the various agencies doing business on behalf ot of the producer bonded and every possible safeguard exercised for the protection of the shipper it may be possible that a better system of livestock marketing will come about in the years to come than that which has been furnished by the open central markets located at the various stock yards throughout the country it cosent appear that any such plan has as yet been evolved and at this time records show that over 85 per cent of the meat food animals marketed in the united states pass through the sixty three stock yards which aro are maintained tor for that pur pose 1 should a better system of marketing come about it Is highly probable that those who have created and maintained the open central livestock i markets would be in the foremost ranks in bringing about such a situation as primarily the open central livestock market lias has been built upon the foundation of serving the producer the only source of 0 revenue of 0 these markets is from the producer so naturally any plan that would be helpful or make tor for the prosperity of the producer would be quickly grasped by these interests on oil the other hand in various sections certain groups have been endeavoring deavo ring to work out a plan to assist the producer in marketing his livestock but unfortunately none of 0 these plans which in some cases appear highly desirable on paper have proved practical the producer has suffered through bearing the burden of elpe expenses anses incident to various marketing schemes and a goodly portion of the livestock which has been handled under these plans eventually finds its way to the open central markets and of course must bear the added expense of the marketing plan through which it ses sea as well as the charges assessed at the open market this has been thoroughly illustrated in california in the last sey several months as in many instances the producer has paid a certain percentage for the privilege ot of having his livestock marketed and this same stock has been purchased by speculators who have brought it to the open market where they again are assessed the marketing cost and naturally it has resolved itself into the question ot of jones pays frieg ht as any burden that is imposed upon the arat traffie traffic reverts back to the source ot of production and falls alls upon the producer selling in the country Is a relic of the primitive days and was cons considered ider a great barship by the plo pioneers ot of the west and in many cases producers on the pacific coast many times sought relief in marketing their products as tar far east as the missouri Alis river central markets have followed the development ot of the country and have contributed very largely to the por of 0 the farmer in tact fact as soon as central markets were established ablis hed the farmers rushed to thorn them tor for relief against unfair practices connected with selling at home the only protection the producer has had is the central markets establishing ling price levels governed by supply and demand As definite values were established through the medium of central markets the financing of tie cle industry became more stable there Is no question but that the dual system of marketing is not sound if the central markets are wrong they will eliminate themselves and it if direct buying and the forming of concentration points in the con country or any other methods were moro more feasible of course the central marits markets survive however mists and close observers observed 6 are agreed that the economical way to market any commodity Is through centralization at a given point conveniently located to serve the demand and it behooves prod producers acers to avail ves of the marketing opportunities presented through the central markets until such time as a better method Is found there some time may I 1 be a better marketing system tha than n Is represented by the open central markets just as there may be better automobiles tomo to blies built or a better radio or airplane until that hat time arrives it is an expensive experiment which la Is confronting the producer who Is striving toward reducing marketing cost by through certain groups to go around th central markets as in many cases tue tae cost rt of both systems is loaded upon the producer of livestock |