, 1867-11-29
The Hog Question.
WALLA WALLA. Nov. 25th, 1867.

WALLA WALLA, NOV. HObll1 1oOd'
EDrrok STATESMAN Among the many
exports ofthis Valley, that of pork is one OF
the principal features. Tons after tons leave
the Valley week after week during the
spring Of the year, and consequently thous>
auds upon thousands of dollars are returned
to the Valley in payment therefor. THIS
branch of industry was, comparatively speak
ing, of no pith or moment four years ago.
and instead of WalIa Walla Valley supplying
the demand for pork of the country above
nd around hef, she was compelled to PR
chase the same, for home consumption, of
Oregon and California. The change is
marked and gratifying, and if nothing intert
feres that will retard the growth of this
trade in the way of bad legislation, this VAL
leg will stand high as regards pork produ
cling country in the space of four years more.
In your issue of last week, noticed that
the question was raised as to whether the
farmers and pork raisers should pen up their
swine the year round or not. To keep them
up the entire year, at the present stage OF
circumstances, is not only useless but inju'
rious to the country. During the months
of November, December, January and Feb,
ruary the fields are entirely bare, the har-
vesting and threshing being done by the lat
ter part of October, and the amount Of fall
grain sowed is comparatively triaing. The
winter wheat is mostly raised in that portion
of the Valley designated as the foot of the
mountains and the Wslla Walla river, and
is in the immediate vicinity of an abundance
of timber, while the Touchet and the coun.
try thereabouts produces the pork. With this
statement of facts would it not be more to
the interests of the farmers and the Valley
for those who plant fall crops to build good
fences than for those who have hogs to keep
them up and lose the benefit which would
result from their running at large? The
grain left upon each farm after harvest is
sufficient to fatten the matter of one hundred
hogs, and if there was a law prohibiting
farmers from turning their hogs into the
fields this would be an entire loss. A law
of this kind would kill the business, and to
part with this feature 10 our exports we
would lose thousands of dollars. 1t would
be suicidal policy to do away with this
article of trade when it can not only be kept
in its present Aourishing condition, but in>
creased in quality, volume and value.
If it is the desire of the people to preserve,
perpetuate and increase the wealth of the
Valley and county they must have foresight,
energy and practicablity. Instead of cramp-
ing industry they should enlarge it, give it a
free scope to act in, and see that all branch>
es of trade are equally favored. To succeed
well they should have multiplicity of ex-
ports, and not confne themselves to the pro.
duction of one particular article of trade
when two or three others are of equal value.
With four months at their disposal, the
farmers engaged in growing pork, with their
hogs running at large during the time, could
raise enough of that article for home con-
| sunptin". ord - -~rIdJ "iIo surrounding
mining country. say the interests of the
people of Walla WaIla Valley demand that
the hog raiSers should be allowed to let loose
their stock during the four months of winter,
aud that the representatives to the Territo>
rial legislature should be instructed accOr.
dinghy Yours, PUBLIC INTEREST.