The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-07-18
THE W GATHERING.
Proceedings Of the Annual Meet
ing Of the Montana Wool
Growers Association.
Inc Full tIext OF the Secretary's Report
n Other Matters of Interest to
Sheep Men.

The Montana Wool Growers Associa-
ton met Tuesday at 2 o'clock D.. m. at
the office of the secretary, and was call
ed to order by the president, Paris Glib
son. The minutes of the last meeting
were read and approved. There were
present the following members:
isobt. Bl~ankenbaker, Box Elder; O.
q. Cooper, j. D. Geldart, Depuyer Jas.
Fergus, Fort Naginnis; Chas. w. Gray,
Ed. Lyon, c. r. Scofin, Old Agency;
Jack Hay, Stanford F. ]. Vivian, j..
Woods, Geo. A. Wells, Florence; Jack
Waite, Utica; r. P. Walker, Sun Riv-
er; Paris Gibson, T. E. Collins, l.. w.
Peck, f. S. Caldwell, G. P. Fiske, G. G.
Griffith, E. Ingersoll, A. C. Johnson,
Chas. L. Spencer, Jas. A. Yore, Benton.
The secretary's report was read and
discussed and the ~treasurer's report APP
proved.
s~ECRETARY'S REPORT.
Mr. President and Gentlemen:
The history of the organization is IA
miliar to you all and will not bear re-
pSIIlAS dC LlllS tIi1lC. 11llSC Jul AaSt
meeting your secretary in accordance
with the directions thea gwen, has seen
and correspondent with many W%ool-grow-
ers throughout the territory in regard to
a scab law and the needs of al a~ssocia-
ton.
The matter of an efficient scab-laW,
was discussed as fully as the short time
at our disposal would allow. The law OF
Washington Territory and Oregon being
finally adopted and its enactment secur-
ed. The nature of this law should be
made the careful study of each and
every wool-grower who wishes to insure
against the terrible loss to which he is
subjected through the criminal careress-
ness, or worse, of his neighbors and reck-
less persons, entering the territory. If
the law, after a careful study, or through
your experience in connection with the
subject treated, does not seem to suit the
case, explain. wherein it is defective
that it may be perfected as soon as posi-
BILE. There is one thing certain, how
ever; a poor law energetically enforced,
is far superior to a perfect law poorly
looked after. / do not mean to imply
that the present is a poor one, but am
firmly convinced on the contrary that it
is a good one, and think it ought to
have a good trial.
At this point allow me tie impress up
on your minds that there is nothing
IN this law that contemplates making
policemen Of the sheep commissioners.
1t is not their business to go hunting up
and down through the territory to find
scabby sheep, and to bring action against
their owners; they are not paid officials
and this is not their duty. Do not fold
your hands, then, and consider your
selves secure from the disease because
you have a law and commissioners, and
in some vague way think that it is the
latter's fault if the scab runs riot through
your iocks. Your neighbor may have
the disease in his focks and drive dis
eased sheep across the country, and moth
ing will be done to prevent it if you do
not take the action the law requires III
such cases yourself. If you allow
healthy sheep to pass your way without
the proper certificate, do not complain
when diseased sheep suddenly come into
your neighborhood without travelling
permits, as the only way to permanently
establish the custom will be to see that
the law is always complied with.
Although in such cases, of course, it
is the business of the party moving the
oA1SSp W ~ SASA WI III 10 4ASA
BILE to fine if travelling without them.
still it is each wool grower that must
constitute himself a Waterman to see
that this is done, as it IS no more the
work Of the commissioner than it is that
of any other wool grower. I speak of
this here to correct an impression, which
seems to prevail, to the effect that laws
have been enacted and officers appointed
to see that the scab is cured in the terri
tory and that scabby sheep do not enter
from abroad. Such, however, is not
the case. Laws have been enacted
whereby the wool growers can protect
themselves, and if they do not as indi-
viduals look after the law and take adj
vantage of its provisions, it will become
a dead letter. In the first place, then,
let US see that we comply with the law
ourselves, and if we desire to move or
drive sheep from one point to another,
study the requirements Of the law first,
and then as a mean of protection to
ourselves, to which we have u perfect
let us see that our neighbors do
not violate it. To see that your neigh
Dor complies with the law may at times
be a very disagreeable thing to do, but
as it is for his good as we'll as your own,
and the interest at large, sentiment in
the matter must be set aside. At all
events, if this is not done the law Will
amount to nothing. as it is the evidence
Of the man injured or liable to be injured
that will be required in an action against
the party breaking the law. It is not
to be expected that any one else will
make complaint.
In regard to defects in the present law,
two points suggest themselves to me:
First, the term ''range" should be de-
fined, that is, how far can a party go
from his corrals or permanent camping