The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-06-08
Mr.. ScOtt's Address.

IDLE opening address to the woolgrowers yes
terday, which we give below:
We have met to commune as friends, and
to speak out the feelings of our souls.
Being but men, as men, to own all the SYM
pathies of manhood.
Then let confidence open our lips, and in
diligence beam from every eye.
Let our tongues love not Boosting, but our
hearts made glad with kindness.
Let US speak with pleasant interchange, and
think in each others hearing.
In asking your indulgence for a few NOM
ents gentlemen of the state wool growers con-
vention, while read this hastily written pa
per, | am not egotist enough, to Aatter myself
that l will say anything new, or that l will
make wiser any man present, or do myself any
special credit. Because l know 'to create a
thought or thing, is hopeless and impossible"
But simply do so, hoping thereby to set a
precedent, which think might be established
among US in our annual reunions as a state as
ISOLATION Of woolgrowers, and which hope
may be followed hereafter by gentlemen of
practicable influence and intelligence, gentle
men of more leisure and ability than possess,
and from which custom we might all be mu-
tually benefited.
Now then shall begin by stating that every
sheep man in Texas should have fixed, de6n-
lite object in his breeding of sheep, and that it
is just as essential to our success in breeding
sheep to make money in Texas as it has ever
been to the fine sheep breeders of our eastern
ststes and of Europe, and we shall give you
briefly what we conceive that object should be
with us in Texas and then the best means of
accomplishing the same.
First. As woolgrowers of Texas would
enquire, have we fixed and unalterable pur-
pose, clear particular aim, fixed star, as it
we're, in the armament of our future, that ever
sheds its gentle but shining light upon the
tortuous course of our plodding industry, and
do we, my friends, bend our heavy thought
and energy, without thought or vascilaton, to
accomplish that object.
Are we not too much influenced. Aye,
blown about as chaff before the wind, by the
many and conflicting views and opinions as to
our true interests as woolgrowers of Texas.
We frequently hear men after having achiev-
ed grand success in their business, advocat-
ing change, different strain of blood, and
even different breed of sheep from those they
have raised for years-the little runty Merinos,
which have rails ed them up year by year, from
poverty to oppulence. And it is this restless
mania for change among some of our flock
masters that has induced US to attempt few
comments on the subject of a definite object in
business, and we will make ourselves plainly
understood by declaring that every sheepman
producing rams for sale) should make the pro-
consideration, and never deyiate from this OBJ
ject, throughout his entire course of breeding,
no matter how low the price of wool may 90
or how high the price of mutton may 20. We
reach this conclusion from the following con-
siderations:
We are compelled to make either wool or
mutton primary consideration here in Texas,
for all attempts to combine both proftably in
one animal, has ever in the past proven fail
ure. This is a conceded fact that we need not
stop here to elaborate
Our great remoteness from the mutton con-
Stunning world, and at the same time wool con-
Stunning factories, makes transportation or
freights with US vital question. In fact it is
the question above all others which in clear,
silvery tones rung from dollars and cents,
speaks to the rejecting hockmaster of Texas
and tells him that for many years yet to come
he must make the production of wool his first
great object in the breeding sheep in Texas.
This becomes apparent to the most care
less observer upon only few minutes re-
Election.
We can market our wool right here in the
city of San Antonio, (than which no better
wool market exists in the south) without the
least trouble or difficulty, by simply giving to
the transportation corporations and to our
courteous and liberal buyers, three (3) cents
per pound, that is we can generally convert
our wool into cash right at our doors by de-
Quoting three cents per pound from its value
in the eastern markets, and while prices re-
main as they are, we can well afford to do
this; yes, we can give to the railroads and
steamships lines their rates and also allow the
buyers and commission men of San Antonio a
fair margin and still live and be happy, gen.
tlemen.
But such is not true as regards the sale Of
our mutton. While it costs US but three cents
per pound to convert our wool, it costs US five
50 cents or more to convert our mutton, be-
sides the mutton that brings his owner clip
of wool annually equal almost in value to the
price paid for his carcass, we cannot afford to
sell at loss of FIVE cents per pound, and that
too, on an animal that pays from fifty to one
hundred per cent, on what we are offered for
him.
We will assume that statement of the fore
going fact is sufficient to show that every wool
grower in Texas should have definite object
as primary one should be the production Of
wool, and now then comes the inquiry, how
shall we produce the greatest amount of wool
from the fewest number Of sheep, and hence
at the least possible cost?
l am satisfied that am anticipated in an
swering this interrogatory, or that every mem
Der Of this convention has ready answer, who
had hal much exoerience in Urouinu uoOl in