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Show was it explained that the split demand " at the market would weaken values so that the price received in the country would naturally be a reflec- tion of that tsiluation, instead of a i price treated by the fullest represen- tation and competitive buying. We i may fairly conclude in this question that there are two reasons why the i packers go to the country: ; a. In case of au acute shortage i more or less of a temporary condi- tion. I b. In search of bargins which is ', usually the dominant factor. 1 It is the same old question of split purchasing power with all of the ill effects falling upon the producer. In ' certain sections of the country a 1 ranch to ranch canvas is made by the packers and that is another way to I split the purchasing power. Central markets have the greatest value to the producer only when the buying and selling power is centered there and while individual farmers may get some temporary advantage by selling at the ranch, they are at the same time not only hurting their neighbors but in the end, hurting themselves because be-cause if that method became the rule instead of the exception, there would be no way of establishing values. P. MMestock tkixSli The question of country buying has assumed greater proportions than a mere controversy or difference of opinion for the reason that the practice prac-tice has upset the very means of creating values. It has been amply shown that where split purchases are the producer was that he was being saved the cost of putting his stock through the market, but he was not told that he lost the fill, the value of which would go a long way towards paying the cost of marketing. Neither made between the central market and the country, no matter whether it be at concentration points or otherwise, the effect hits the producer right between be-tween the eyes, so to speak, because it splits the purchasing power, which, if fully expressed either at the central market or at the concentration point, would be to the advantage of the producers; so the producers are about to the point where they will have to decide whether they want to sell in the country or have a market. In this connection it may be well to glimpse at the origin of these country operations. They were started start-ed in the early days throughout Iowa and Illinois, largely to supply hogs to certain New England packing plants owned or controlled by Chicago packing pack-ing interests and for the evident purpose pur-pose of keeping the buying power of these New England plants out of the central market. The inroads thus made upon receipts at the markets, especially when supplies were low, began to hurt, so other packers also went into the concentration business, establishing agencies throughout the States of Illinois and Iowa and finally extending throughout the Northwest and Southwest. All of these points are for the concentration con-centration of hogs and it has never been seriously attempted in the case of cattle because of the difficulty in identifying cattle in the country with market quotations, there being such a great variety that comparisons as to quality and finish are extremely difficult, diffi-cult, whereas it is comparatively easy with hogs as the weight largely governs gov-erns the price. A recent complaint filed before the Interstate Commerce Commission brings out the railroad situation, pointing out that the railroads are performing an extra service in allowing allow-ing concentration at country poiuts for which they should be paid something some-thing in addition to the regular charges, char-ges, and of course, whenever such a showing can be proven, undoubtedly the railroad company will receive au additional charge; because there is a limit to the auxiliary service tbat a railroad company may perform in the transportation of a commodity, without with-out extra pay for the extra work, and we can appreciate that in addition to the regular stop for feed and rest which the law exacts, that each additional addi-tional stop for the purpose of con, centration or otherwise might be quite burdensome upon the carrier. The general basis of operation is the open market price less the cost of the transportation from the concentration concen-tration point. The "bait" held out to |