Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-02-27
for the AvANT COURIER
CATTLE AND SHEEP.
Mr.. Anceney Gives Some Of His Views
i'm Regard to the Respective
Rights Of Their Owners.

J Mr.. Anceney Gives Some Of Mis- Views
in Regard to the Respective
Rights Of Their Owners.
|, / see by the Hus5nndt,an of the 3rd inst,
: in their report of meeting Of wool grow
ers held in Helena, that I have been rather
roughly handled and wrongfhlly treated
by persons taking part in tile meeting.
Even if some of the assertions reported in
the Husbandman show on their face that
they would be condemned by all fair mind
ed people, still trust l shall not appear
out OF place in offering few words in my
own defence. 4
regret that the speakers did not make
the speeches reported at some Of the meet
ings attended while in Helena, then we
could have discussed our differences face
to face, in fair and impartial manner.
where any exaggeration and unfairness in
one party would be noticed. spoken OF, and
corrected by his opponents. What do
these gentlemen mean by st;gmatizing cat
tie men who desire to protect their inter-
ests? What do they mean when. after hav-
ing expressed their opinion of cattle men
in a flattering way, in the same strain to
speak Of putting their hands on mans
shoulders and say, "this man is a murderer
and midnight assassin, who would ruth
lessly Stay his neighbor and destroy his
flock to keep thcu from eating grass that
does not belong to him." lesa
fail to see the necessity or the ntentionI
for using such strong language where no
other name than mine is attached. Fit
was intended as bluff. it will fail in its
object, for I understand my rights in their
proper limits perhaps as well as any one.
If the remarks were intended to apply per-
sonally, singing out one individual before
hand as an agitative and dangerous man,
it was equally ungenerOus and FIR from
the mark. Surely have not been guilty
of a crime because have stated my views
in writing in public way and called the
attention of cattle owners of this Heighbor-
hood to the danger of being invaded by
large flocks Of sheep, and have our cattle
crowded from their ranges, and which
would gradually compel us to abandon our
locations and homcsteads and 60 else
where to commerce anew.
By being vely plain in my language l
may have displeasyd some, who in their
anger have reserved for me disagreeable
castigation. My cattle are to me All inter-
est of only secondary importance. and even
it during the present rather severe winter
am liable to considerable loss by ny
cattle being driven from their range by tho
sheep. l will have t. protect them the
best way can. and if should loose them
Ill. it would be very immatesial to those
who describe the channel of Mr.. Edwards
lights rs an American citizen through the
nIzzle Of his grandfather's gun.
In regard to sheep buying Gu. cattle in ,
i've years. clear Of the original inves, ment. ;,
IS stated by Mr.. Edwards in his. speech, =
hold that, taking the chances ofloss and =
Expense into consideration, the cattle of :,
lOntana. providing they can keep their :,
hare OF ranges. stand as good a chance to :,
ny the sheep in the five years as the sheep :,
0 buy the cattle. They are incOHtestibly ;.
t more general usefulness to all, and a
lore valuable and indispensable income is
erived from them. They are 4 more re-
able standby in every respect than sheep.
gain, we can not ali be shepherds and 81
wn no other live stock save sheep; and O
zen if we were, the present sheep men 81
ould not stand as good chance for pros
'rity as they now do. Therefore. if we to
dye it to the interests of the race to re- q,
in around us some OF all kinds of domes- tn
animals. we must protect them, and tn
at in due time II Hhn,,hA-d is allow
to Keep his flock ON Il cattle range, no
ason is left for denying the same right to
hers. Our ranges are nice and OF excel
1T quality, and cannot help being tempt ~, ~,
g to shepherds. 1t we depend on their -
secretion altogether TO not have OUR cattle vi
rned from their ranges, we will surely al
t beat, and can commence making pre- ed
ratiOns to move. de
In regard to a man who owns but one NC
W being regarded as a cattle man, be- !
We that man owning but one COW has
good right to speak for his interest as
e who owns dozen. and because he is vo
or is no reason tfat he should be dictat- tic
to altogether by the rich, and become ma
? slave of monopolizers. oo
Mr.. Edwards. in his remarks before the the
'eting, makes assertions that condemn
After stating that there is
thing around my fences for anything to
!. and that his sheep would starve in such i
lace. he tries to make it appear that .'''
'nnd my fences is the place where ,ol'
,uld keep my cattle. Some of his hear o'e
may have believed that my cattle would T,
well where his sheep would starve, but ID,
IN not inclined to believe it. Cattle need at ,
cd feed as well as sheep. and if they can cal
lett alone on their ranges, and are not -
Tested by sheep, they can be wintered a
at deal safer for the reason that they -
perfectly willing to feed together and r
ide. even with horses, while the supply
Is, but If the sheep roam over a portion
the cattle ranges. the cattle viii have
hing to do with them, and the feed, in
plus Of what is required to support the
ep, is lost. This is one strong reason
y the ranges between the Gallatin and -
Olson rivers should be thoroughly oc- II,
lied by cattle. True, in mild winters
might get along with sheep on a por-
a of the range, but in such winter as
sand we are liable to have many