I have been reading in your Western Livestock Journal about what the livestock people don’t want and as a livestock grower I will say that there probably are a few who are against a floor for cattle. But the majority would rather know they are going to get something for all their work and the money they spend to keep other industries making money.
They seem to forget it is our money that the government uses to protect the steel, coal, car and many, many other industries. They can plan their business ahead as they know what they are going to get. They are not floating around in space wondering if they are going to get something for their year’s work—they know they are.
But the old cowman likes to be called the rugged individualist who can tighten his belt and wait and go in debt to see if cattle will bring him a price where he can pay the high prices and high wages to keep his outfit going rather than know they can’t go below a certain price—which would give him a chance to live like other people and not have that mortgage hanging over his head. Everyone seems to think a rancher or farmer should have that mortgage necklace around his neck continually.
I do not know why they are set against government control. The government controls our forest range, our Taylor grazing, tells us when to go on and when to come off of them, cuts our numbers when it wants to and controls our taxes. I really do not see how it would hurt us in any way to know cattle could not go lower than a certain price.
The other industries don’t have to wait for supply and demand to keep their outfits going—they know they are going. We don’t. We pay for the other fellow to keep going, but not us. We are the ones who don’t want any price for our products.
Here is one who does not want to tighten her belt any more than it is. I want something for my cattle that have cost me plenty of money.— Alma Woods, Austin, Nev.
