Omaha daily bee., 1884-11-20

purposes, and never car be and never
will be utilized for agriculture. They
propose to peti.iyn congress for such
Liquidation as will enable them either to
purchase thos3 lands in large t%racts, or to
lease them for a term of years, subject.
however, to the presumption and hoD,c.
stead laws should any one desi!e to
acquire any such land under these lawr.
They could with safety lease the lands on
such conditions, az no ono in all prob
ability would disturb them, unless they
have enclosed good agricultural lands.
It cannot be denied that fencing is re.
CURED to carry on the business Of stock
raisipg IN a safe and profitable manner,
and it the stockmcn succeed in leasing
the grazing lands or obtain the privilege
of maintaining fences in a mannor that
will not interfere With the rights Of
others they will gain a very important
point.
Another almost equally important m t.
ter is the proposition Of creating q ma.
tlonal cattle trail from Texas to the
northern grazing fields Ia New Mexico,
Colorado. Nebraska, Wyoming, Dakota,
Idaho and Montana, the route to be ten
miles wide and along a pathway well
supplied with water. To secure such a
trail it will be necessary to purchase
the right of way only to a limited extent
from private parties, the intention being
to have congress pass an act Withholding
the government land within the trail
from public entry and settlement, and
declaring 1t free to all ss a cattle drive.
The respective states and territories will
also bs asked to make concessions if
necessary. The probability is that the
stock %raisers, among whom are many
prominent, influential and wealthy
men, will succeed in prevailing upon
congress to give them favorable legisla-
ton or these questions.
The subjects of transportation, the
various methods of breeding and hand.
ling cattle, and the causes and prevention
of contagious diseases, are also among
the matters to be discussed and acted
upon at this convention. 1t will be seen,
therefore, that this convention is q con.
ference of more than ordinary import
ance, and its proceedings are being re.
with a great deal of interest.
Probably no convention, except that per-
laps OF the bankers, has aver been held
this country which represented 30
much capital and included NOM the
ielegates 80 many rich men, a large
Of whom began with compare.
lively nothing.
In his admirable address to the con.
Governor Crittendep, of Mis-
ouri, furnishes some very interesting
acts and figures concerning the cattle in
crosts west of tho Mississippi river. The
otal number of cattle in this region ia
1888 was %. 100, 800, valued at S519,
l 1889. Texas, of course, leads all the
,ther states and territories with 3 .060, 715
,attle. 1t will surprise some persons to
earn that Iowa comes next, with 3 ,664,-
cattle, all on farms. Missouri fol-
.ows with 2,572, 100, all on farms, while
comes fourth in the list with
ZIG, 900, while Nebraska stands fifth
with 1,770, ISL, of which about two
are IN farms, and one-third ON
Wyoming comes seventh, with
| ,O05, 9lG, and the Indian territory eighth
with ,020, 900, and so on down the list,
Utah having the smallest number, 49,
200.
The value of horses, mules, sheep, and
hogs west of the Mississippi in 1883,
was Sod, 342, 1913, only $26. S2G 1884 more
than the value of the cattle alone. The
whole number of cattle in the United
in 1888, was %, G73, 1913, only
1888 ,CS4 moro than in the states and
territories west of the Mississippi. These
figures will give some idea of the immen.
of the cattle interest in the west,
md the important p~osition 1t occupies in
contributing to the material wealth and
prosperity of the country.